ATMN Volume 1
by tdjloz6496
Summary: When eighty years of peace is threatened to come to an end, these students must do all they can to keep Remnant safe while in school. Join team ATMN (autumn), a no-nonsense leader with a heart of gold, a conflicted Faunus with a conflicted past, a wild young man, and a timid girl, in their bloody evolution as Huntsmen and Huntresses. All rights reserved. Hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter A

" _In our minds, we seek absolute perfection, yet within the heart and soul sleeps a kind of beauty perfection can never comprehend."_

A breeze runs through the white afternoon, one that can freeze a Nevermore at the first touch. The glistening snowflakes fall ever-so-slowly upon the second-best city named Mantle. Tall buildings, glaciers, and military bases surround the grounds of a primary combat school. Such a setting is appropriate for the citizens, for some are just as ice cold.

It is nearing 2:00 pm. Students will soon exit their classes for a few minutes' break. And one of these classes holds a student who, like the others, will embark on a warrior's journey.

Sitting on his desk in front of the class, a history instructor wraps up his review for an upcoming final exam.

"And finally, can anyone remind me just how Atlas became the new capital?"

Many hands shoot into the air, but there is one person who just sits, taking notes. And, like any teacher, this one points right at her. "Ms. Aubri!"

Hearing her name, a blue-haired girl flinches, glancing at the wandering eyes of her classmates. She taps her pencil on her chin, and, before long, it hits her.

"Oh! It happened after the Great War when the Cross Continental Transmit System was invented." She stops to find something to add. "Everyone adapted to the system's communication process by enhancing the campuses, research facilities, and military technology. Throughout that time, we became overshadowed, giving Atlas the title of 'new capital.'"

The instructor raises a brow, making her tense up. Then, with pursed lips, he nods. "That is correct. Excellent job, as always!" As if on cue, a loud ringing echoes throughout the hallways. All the other students pack their bags and begin to leave. "All right, everyone, take it easy, and good luck!"

Once the place clears, Aubri calms herself. She skims through her notes, unaware of a looming shadow.

"Ahem!"

She looks with another flinch. "Oh, sorry! I didn't know you were - "

"No need." Her professor puts one hand up. "I just want you to know you're doing a wonderful job here, so don't push yourself so hard."

"Right…" She mutters, packing up.

Just as she walks to the doorway, the deep voice calls out, "If I could give you a tip: don't study today. You've worked hard enough to prepare for tomorrow. Relax."

"Of course, thank you, Professor."

Entering the hallway, Aubri opens her planner. "Let's see, besides history, there's math, reading, and biology. But…" She scratches her head. "…there's something missing, I just know it." Her mind wanders as she reaches her locker and packs a few books inside. "Well, whatever it is, it's not gonna stop me from passing. I've come too far to not stay on top of my game, so I can't afford to 'take it easy.'"

She pulls out Sun and Moon, her dual semi-automatic pistols, still in their holsters. After closing the door, she secures them on her hips. The moment she turns…

 _BAM!_

Her back slams into the lockers. Two girls beside her hold her arms back. Another head-butts her stomach. As she falls to her knees, a pair of dark-skinned legs struts toward her. Her bubblegum pink eyes trail up to meet amazon green ones.

"Well, what have we here? The know-it-all finally decided to step off her pedestal today!" says the fourth girl.

"What do you want, Sandy?" Aubri tries to pull her arms free.

"Oh, I just wanted to drop by and see you, the incomparable Aubri Talia Azure, Mantle's finest, number four in the academy, might I add." Sandy makes broad, dramatic gestures, her honeyed voice ringing in the girl's ears. "I say, it must be wonderful to have everything in the palm of your hand, a bright future, a caring family, being loved and accepted by all. It's…perfect. I mean it's what everyone calls you, but that, my dear…" She chuckles, holding up one finger. "That's where they're wrong!"

"Quit beating around the bush…" Aubri huffs. "What are you going on about now?"

"I'm merely getting at the places where you fall short. Now, let's see…" She counts her fingers. "There's your sense of direction. You have to have a good hand in strategy, and, so far, I've hardly seen any of that from you. I even heard you were temperamental. Tsk, tsk. We can't be having that now, can we? Hm, what else?" She taps her chin and paces. "I'm positive there was a third flaw, something very important for Huntsmen to have…"

One of the girls beside Aubri raises her hand and shouts with a gleam in her eyes, "Ooh, ooh, I know! Maybe it's her Semblance?"

Sandy faces her victim and gasps. "That's right! You still haven't discovered it yet, have you? How are you ever going to defend yourself on the battlefield without it?"

That strikes a nerve, seeing as how Aubri breaks free for a second just before the girls pull her back. She hits the lockers once again, and her head pounds. With no other way to escape, she spits out, "So what if I don't have a Semblance right now? It's nothing a little practice can't handle!"

Taken aback, Sandy frowns. "Is that a fact? Well, I can't wait to see what you bring to the table! Only someone as incredible as you can come up with an exceptional strategy for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"For the final exam, you know, for combat class?

Aubri's jaw drops.

"Don't tell me you forgot. Now you have to spend the rest of your day forcing that special power to show up. And there's so little time. If only someone reminded you earlier…"

"And you knew about this the whole time, didn't you?"

"Oh, that doesn't matter. If anything, you should be the first to know since you're so punctual and whatnot…" Sandy turns her back. "But wait, if you're so busy finding your Semblance, then what of your studies? All that cramming and over-analyzing you've done for the past, what, four years, will go to waste, and you must stay in tiptop shape." She smirks. "Then again, if you were to study today, there's no way you could activate your Semblance before tomorrow. And we all know how that will turn out!" She looks over her shoulder. "Looks like you're not so perfect after all!"

With a snap of Sandy's fingers, the girls release Aubri's arms. They all leave her clutching her stomach on the ground, laughing until they are out of earshot. She stands and dusts off her uniform. How could she forget the most important exam of all? Without a Semblance, she can't graduate, and she'll have to retake combat class for another semester. Looks like there's gonna be a change of plans. Studying will have to wait.

~oOo~

The snow crunches beneath Aubri's feet as she dashes her way home. Normally she takes a ride with one of her friends, but today is a bit special. Besides, she doesn't live far.

"I hope they don't mind not seeing me for the day. I'll text them and tell them I had an emergency at home," she says. "Knowing them, they'll buy it. But…gods, I sure hope I'm not pushing them away…"

Barging through the front door, she runs upstairs past a short, slender woman, yelling, "Hi, Mom! School was good!"

Her mom stumbles from the impact, but she catches the railing just in time. "Whoa, whoa! Slow down! You just got here!"

"Sorry…" Aubri stops. "I have to study a bit more. It can't wait any longer."

"Again?" Aubri's mom gapes. "You've done it since day one! You should already be prepared!"

"I know, but there's something missing. I'll stop after this, I promise."

"Okay, then." Aubri smiles, continuing onward. Shaking her head, her mom sighs. "Just like her father…"

Aubri sits her backpack down and kicks off her shoes. Standing in the middle of her room, she focuses, thinking of ideas for her Semblance. Deflection shields, ice manipulation, and even gravity bursts come to mind. The possibilities are endless. So, why not try them all to see if anything happens? Deep set eyes gleam as she chooses a chair near the window as her target.

She winds her shoulders back, plants her feet a few inches apart, and thrusts her arms toward it…nothing. She glances at her palms and tries again…still nothing. Maybe there is another way to activate it?

Aubri focuses harder on the chair and snaps her fingers much like Sandy did earlier. Like the other two times, nothing happens. Another idea comes to mind. Straining her face, she presses two fingers against her temples. Hoping to see shields or a frozen chair, she looks, but all she sees is the chair in the same place. With a small frown, she tries other methods.

After fifteen minutes, she plops onto her bed with a huff.

"What am I doing wrong? Is my Semblance gonna show up or not?" She runs a hand down her face. "Can't it happen before tomorrow? I don't wanna have to repeat a semester, not when I'm so close to the end!" Her fists clench, her temperature rises, and her head starts pounding much like when she slammed into the lockers. She, then, clutches her head and takes deep breaths. "Get it together, Aubri…" After more time and no progress, she is forced to quit and go into the kitchen.

The moment she enters, a sizzling frying pan and a white trail of smoke fill her ears and nose. She grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator and sits at the table as her mom sets a plate full of sautéed shrimp, fries, and coleslaw in front of her.

"Done already? Must've been easy!" her mom says.

"Nah, just needed a break." Aubri smiles. She grabs a fork and picks up a couple of fries. But before she can even start eating, a question clouds her mind. "Hey, Mom…"

"Hmm?"

"How…" She hesitates. "How did you discover your Semblance?"

Her mom takes a few sips of water. "Well, it took some time, but it happened after I met your father in the army. I saved him from a life-threatening condition during one of our missions. He would've taken his last breath had I not felt some sort of energy burst from my hand into his body. No one believed me until a second incident happened, and that's pretty much how quick recovery became my special ability."

Aubri's brows knit. What if she has to wait for years for her Semblance to activate for the first time? And how could someone survive without it for so long?

"I know what you're thinking…" Her mom interrupts. "Just because it took me long doesn't mean it will take you long. Everyone's different." She lays a hand on her daughter's and smiles. "It'll happen at the right moment, I'm sure of it."

Swallowing the fries, Aubri stares at her plate. Her mom takes the perfect opportunity to change the subject as she lets go. "So, have you decided what school you want to attend after all this?"

She just knew this question would come up sooner or later. "I-uh…well…"

"If not, there's always Atlas Academy. You won't have to worry about the cost of the dorm room. I can help pay for it, or you can just stay here and commute if you'd like."

"While I appreciate the help, Mom, I…I think I want to go somewhere else."

Aubri's mom stares. "Really? Where to?"

"I was thinking…" Aubri fiddles with her fork. "Um…Beacon?" She, then, recoils into her seat.

But, instead of the expected reaction, she hears, "Go for it!"

One eye opens. "Huh?"

"You heard me! Don't let anyone stop you!" The younger woman looks onward as the other leans closer. "You listen to me, Aubri. In life, there's only one person who can determine how your journey goes from here. You're that one person, not your teachers, not your classmates, and not your family. You want to go there, then go there!"

She relaxes. "Oh, okay then."

Aubri's mom leans back and rests her head on her hand. "My girl's going to Beacon Academy, isn't that something? I remember when you hated seeing blood, and here you are getting ready to slay monsters! This reminds me of the time I gave you flax flowers and briar roses on your sixteenth birthday!" She smiles at the girl's face palming.

"Oh, no, not this story again!"

"I tried to warn you about the thorns, but you got so excited that you grabbed them and pricked your fingers. And then you fainted the moment you looked at 'em!" She chuckles. "All I could do was laugh! You should've seen the look on your face!"

"That was then. I'm seventeen now, things have changed."

"I can see that. I trust my daughter enough to have her succeed on her own. Heck, I've seen you do it when you started this school. If you've worked hard enough to rank fourth, imagine what you'll do next! There's a big world out there for you to explore, so take that advantage and run as far as you can. Just try not to become overwhelmed by all the new things. I don't want anyone calling me saying you blacked out all of a sudden!"

"Mom!" Aubri yells as her mom lets out a hearty laugh.

"But, all jokes aside, you're gonna do great! Like I've said before, you're prepared!"

When they finish, Aubri follows both her mother's and instructor's advice. Hoping what they said will follow through, she reads some of her favorite novels until she knocks out.

~oOo~

Hours pass, and the day of the finals arrives. In the hallway of her school, Aubri fastens Sun and Moon on her hips and takes a look at her new outfit. Checking her white corset, azure jacket, black gloves, capris, and combat boots, she gives herself the OK and walks to combat class. Anxious faces and conversations fill the room as she sits near the front. The bell rings minutes after and the instructor calls out,

"Okay, settle down, class! This is it, your final exam." She smiles. "It's gonna be just like every other time you took my courses, only this time, you'll have a full-fledged battle against a random opponent. Also, I want to see you implement your Semblance, at least, once." She grabs a bowl off the desk behind her. "Here in this bowl are everyone's names. And whoever's name I draw with your own, that's who you'll go against today. The winner will receive bonus points on his or her exam. Good luck!"

Beads of sweat trickle down everyone's faces as the instructor swirls the papers around "The first match is…" She draws two papers and unfolds them. "…Flynt Coal versus Drisella Damson!" All the other students sigh in relief, turning to the first two contestants.

"Ugh, fine!" a damson-haired girl groans. Unsheathing her double-headed spear, she slumps down the steps to the circular platform of a stage in front of the class. Aubri can't help but smirk at her. She knows she doesn't have a chance. Plus, seeing one of her enemies get a taste of her own medicine is probably one of the best things about today.

Suddenly, a cool breeze passes by. From the corner of her eye, a young, dark-skinned man in a snazzy suit makes his way to the opposite side. He takes out his weapon, a trumpet that sends high frequency sound waves, and twirls it, tipping his hat to the girl. A clear barrier conjures around them.

"Ready…begin!" yells the instructor.

Aubri is right to judge Drisella's skills. All it takes is four blows from Flynt's trumpet and a full-scale Semblance. Not once does she activate hers or damage her opponent. Landing on her back with a thud, her Aura depletes, causing the fight to be over in less than one minute.

"Stop!" the instructor calls. "The winner is Flynt Coal!"

Everyone else cheers and laughs as Drisella storms back to her seat, her hair frizzy and her clothes torn. Aubri giggles.

"Hey…" says a low, smooth voice.

She turns her head and gawks. Standing beside her with a smile on his face is Flynt himself.

"Good luck out there!" He pulls his shades down and winks before sauntering back to his seat, a hint of swagger in every step. Her dark cheeks warm up the moment he's out of sight.

Many more battles pass by, each one better than the last. Even half of Sandy's crew passes with no trouble at all. Of course, the one match everyone anticipates is that of their fourth-ranked student. With her exceptional intelligence and skill, it's a sure-fire win for her. Aubri can overhear the conversations concerning how they wonder what she will bring to the competition. She tenses at first, but then, she takes deep breaths, believing the worst that can happen is her repeating a semester…although, to her, this sounds as bad as dying.

It is now the fourth to last match. The instructor stands in front of the class, once again, smiling.

"I must say, I'm quite impressed with how you all performed. If you keep this up, you will become wonderful Huntsmen and Huntresses! Even if you do repeat, there's still time left for you to get there! Next up is…" She draws the next two names. "Sandra Skaar versus Aubri Azure!"

"What?" Aubri yells, she whips her head to the back of the room. The girl in sandy brown and black leather passes by with a wave, her Neko Te equipped on her hands. Sneering, Aubri makes her way to the stage. Clenching her pistols, she gets into a fighting stance. Sandy smirks and flips her long, wavy hair.

"Ready…begin!" yells the instructor.

Aubri wastes no time, sending bullets flying past Sandy's ear.

The black-haired girl yelps, flinches, and launches her clawshot at Aubri's feet with a glare. Her opponent sidesteps.

They circle each other, a curtain of bullets and claw shots spread everywhere.

Sweat pours down the blue-haired girl's face, and her forehead scrunches. Every now and then, she searches for an opening, but the claws retract far too fast for her to react.

Sandy is no different. Her arms grow tired from thrusting her weapons. "Drat! She's more fierce than usual," she thinks to herself. "I guess it's time I bring out the big guns." And with that, she leaps. A glow of light brown shrouds her as her form changes. A tall, man-shaped figure appears, landing in front of Aubri.

It calls out, "Hey, if you're gonna hit me, then hit me! No fourth-ranked student would take this long, anyway!"

Aubri freezes at the modulated and way-too-familiar voice.

Taking the opportunity, the figure charges in a zigzag pattern. The bullets follow. They clash, exchanging a flurry of blows. Without missing a beat, it manages to throw another taunt at her.

Aubri yells for it to shut up, swinging the grip of her gun.

The figure ducks. Catching her off guard, it uppercuts her chin. It sends one blow, then another, making her fall back.

Its opponent parries too late, and her body is pelted with another series of blows and a final kick. Sun and Moon fly out of her hands as she crashes to the ground with a grunt. The crowd gasps.

The figure looms over her.

Transforming back, Sandy crouches and hisses at her. "How does it feel to know you were never perfect in the first place?" She slams her in the torso, the pain throbs to no end as she cries out. "This is all you'll ever be, nothing more." She rolls her onto her back and buries her heel in her chest. "It's time everyone saw just how worthless you truly are, and I am ecstatic to show them!" She straddles her, and her knuckles whale at her face and stomach.

The sound of cheering from Sandy's group and Aubri's vision start to fade. The only thing on her mind now is this is how things will end.

For four years, she was tortured by these fools without a good sense of how to avoid it. Now she has fallen once again and will be publicly humiliated. She will repeat a semester. She will lose her reputation all because of a stupid rivalry. The thought of this makes something burn deep inside. Every blow makes her head pound and her temperature rise until…

"That's enough!" she yells. Out of nowhere, a huge burst of energy rises from within. The force is strong enough to push Sandy back. Everyone stares in shock, especially her.

Staggering a bit, Aubri rises and dashes for her weapons. Clawshots almost grab her legs, but she dodges with a flip. She snatches her weapons and twirls them. Their barrels bend, quickly transforming into wakizashi blades. She charges.

Sandy changes back into the figure and weapons meet.

Another barrage of taunts fills Aubri's ears, yet, somehow, it doesn't bother her as much as before. This prompts it to push even more. To their surprise, the sandy-brown figure's legs are sliding back. Neither can tell if one had grown stronger or if the other had grown weaker.

Using the misstep as an opening, Aubri breaks the clash and swings. Her opponent recovers just in time. They exchange blows for the umpteenth time, swinging at every angle. The sound of steel is all the class can hear until…

 _SWOOSH!_

One of the blades stings the figure's face. It cries out and gets knocked back. Landing on its feet, it transforms back. Both girls huff and wheeze as Sandy dabs at the wound and looks at her hand…blood. Fortunately, she is still able to see as she was only sliced over her eye.

Her jaws clench. "You little brat!" She growls and launches her weapon. A blade blocks the attack just in time, making the metal claws wrap around it. Sandy laughs. "That's your defense? I thought you were smarter than - "

She trails off, gasping at a familiar glow on the hilt of the sword…a lightning bolt-shaped symbol. Aubri smirks and pulls the trigger. A surge of electricity travels and gives Sandy a nasty shock. She screams as a strong force yanks her across the stage.

A foot digs into her ribcage. The moment she lands on her back, a light brown sheen flashes all over her. Her Aura finally diminishes. Aubri transforms her swords back into guns and holsters them, huffing and sighing.

"Stop!" yells the instructor. "The winner is Aubri Azure!"

"What?" Sandy shouts, rising to her knees. "She won? But how?"

The instructor sneers. "If you remembered what I said before we started, the fighter who uses their Semblance and defeats their opponent is the victor."

"Yeah, but she doesn't have a Semblance!"

"Then what was that burst of energy we saw earlier? The one that knocked you back?"

"I don't know!" The black-haired girl shrugs. "It was like some sort of violent disturbance, a shockwave."

Aubri looks at her hands, which emit a blue glow. "Shockwave, huh?"

"Looks like you discovered it just in the nick of time!" says the instructor. "Well done!"

"All right, Aubri!" Flynt shouts.

One by one, the students chant her name. She looks over each and every one of them as the classroom gradually fills with overwhelming praise. It's hard for her not to beam at the sight.

"No…" Everyone stops and turns to Sandy shaking her head and staggering onto her feet. "No…this is wrong!" Her voice rises to a shout. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way! Everything's ruined!" She, then, dashes out of the classroom with the little strength she has left.

The moment she's gone, the whole class jumps up cheering, save for the rest of the bullies. Aubri takes another deep breath and savors the moment.

 _You were right, Mom,_ she thinks. _It came at the right moment! Everything worked out just fine! Now, I'm gonna work even harder for you and Dad!_ Then she smiles as five words fill her mind… _Beacon Academy, here I come!_


	2. Chapter T

" _Insurgency shrouds unbelief, but time and wisdom illuminate the path to unvarnished truth."_

Suspicion. Fear. Resentment. Those are the words they show people like him. The very same words plant themselves into the minds of the ignorant and careless. Soon, they spawn into the most unbearable term known to his kind: discrimination, which has caused the founding of a safe haven, and that safe haven is where a young boy named Tenné Peterson is born years after the Great War.

He only knew of the altercations between those like him and those unlike him but had yet to see one until the age of ten. Ironically, it occurs right outside his home.

He and his four siblings tighten together, shaking. All they can do is watch the large crowd of humans and Faunus, human-like creatures with animal features, as the two opposing sides come face-to-face. Their weapons and picket signs, respectively, clench tight in their fists. Many nasty words are spat at the Faunus.

"Look at those freaks! I bet they're mangy!" says one human.

"Let's neuter them! The sooner, the better!" says another.

"Keep your rabies away from us!" a third one shouts.

Their father, standing behind them, is calm.

Concerned about the unlikely, Tenné asks, "Father, why are they yelling at us? What have we done to them?"

Their father lays a hand on his shoulder. "We have done nothing to them. It is what they have done that matters. All we wanted in life was to live like them, to work, to play, and to be free like they are. But…" He points to the boy's wolf ears. "…because of our special traits, we are shunned to no end."

Heartbroken at the unfolding event, Tenné keeps watching.

Just then, one Faunus steps up and yells with well-meaning intentions, "Why are you even here if you hate us so much? Can't you just leave us alone on this peaceful island?"

From the other side, a human steps toward him with malice in his eyes. "You know why we're here! You have something we humans don't! The proper tools for everyday labor, the blood of animals course through your veins! Menagerie is rich in its supply of fresh meat!"

Trying his best not to get upset, the Faunus's hands quiver. "We will never stoop to your level! We are not to be used for slave work! The island of Menagerie is one where we live as we please, and your setting foot on this ground is a violation of our freedom!"

 _WHAM!_

A fist sends the Faunus to the ground. "Heh! How's that for freedom?"

The children gasp. Their father strokes his small, groomed beard and nods his head as if intrigued by the matter.

The rest of the humans laugh at the poor guy as he stands back up. Having enough, he bares his fangs, throws down his sign, and lunges at the human. This prompts a few more from his side to join the fight and, then, from the other. The massacre grows little by little until the whole crowd is involved, and the family rushes into the house.

While their father locks the door, the children peek out the window. Steel clashing, firearms booming, and fists pounding echo from outside. Screams and cries are all they can emit from their throats as they look away from the bloodbath.

Tenné comforts a younger, wolf-tailed Faunus beside him. He asks their father, "What should we do?"

The older, wolf-eared man shuts his eyes. "For now, we can do nothing. Our kind is fighting valiantly. What they are doing is not in vain, unlike our foes."

Tenné looks again at the worsening event. One by one, bodies pile on each other until there is nothing left to fight. The Faunus in his arms tries to stare, but, seeing the result of all this nonsense, she turns away and weeps. Her tears wet his orange-brown shirt.

Rubbing her back, he wonders, "This is ridiculous! Just why and how is being different such a crime? We are nowhere near monstrous! We don't deserve any of this!" The more he wonders, the more his blood boils. His teeth start to bare and his wolf ears fold back.

"However," the deep voice interrupts, "that isn't to say we will never do anything. One day, my children, you will go out there and protect our people."

"What?" Everyone shouts, staring.

Their father gets down on one knee and lays his hands on the shoulders of his two eldest children. They flinch at his touch. "You all live the lives of wanted criminals in the eyes of mankind. Therefore, you must learn to survive like one, and I will train you." They all glance at each other. "We may not know when the time will come, but just be prepared. The journey will be vigorous, yet I am determined to see it through. We will show them that we refuse to be trampled on." He stands back up. "Now, go wash. Your mother should be done cooking your meals anytime now." And with that, he walks away, leaving the rest of the day to them.

Tenné and the girl in his arms look at each other while the rest get ready for dinner.

"Does he mean it? Are we really going to fight them?" she asks him.

"From the looks of things, we may have to."

"But…" She sniffles. "I don't want to. I'm scared. How can someone who seems so concerned about these riots just throw their own children out into battle? Can't we start rallies like High Leader Belladonna suggests?"

Tenné shakes his head. "No, Lupe, you know that doesn't work. Have you seen how far behind we've fallen in our path to equality? Not a lot of us agree with the High Leader's approach, especially not Father."

"Yes, but Father never agrees with him or anyone with a soft-hearted approach. He demands respect."

"And at times like this, we must do the same. Don't worry, we'll have our freedom. It'll be all right." He smiles at the small glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Come on. The others will be upset if we don't get to the table in time. They never start without us, you know."

They walk down the hall of their large home. On their way to the washroom, Lupe asks Tenné, "Hey…have you noticed anything different about Father? Like the way he acts?"

"Hmm, now that you mention it…" He rubs his chin. "…I have seen him change quite a bit. These riots aren't getting him as riled up as they used to. He seems more stoic than usual. Well, I guess years of discrimination can leave you dry. He must be used to it to some extent."

"I'm not sure if that's the case…" She rubs her arm. "The last time he saw a riot, he glanced at us and walked off mumbling about how we're one step closer."

Tenné raises an eyebrow. "One step closer? To what?"

"He didn't say, but I think it might have something to do with our training."

"Maybe he means we're closer to equality."

Lupe purses her lips. "I sure hope so." She walks onward, leaving him to think for a moment.

He, then, shrugs and walks faster to catch up with her.

~oOo~

Little did the children know, this training would start around two weeks after the gruesome event. It was vigorous indeed, especially seeing how exhausted they become after each session. But, like their father said, they must learn to survive like the criminals they are always labeled as.

Now, it's been two years since they began. Things are different now that the High Leader of the White Fang, the organization with a mission for peace, has stepped down from his position. Riots still occur, but not as often. Finding middle ground is a thing of the past. Brute force is now the way to go.

Inside the training room, the children line up from oldest to youngest with their hands behind their backs, their chins up, and their chests out. Their father paces, eyeing each and every one of them as they go over their small review.

"Remind me, what is Aura, and how can one apply this ability in combat?"

"Aura is the manifestation of one's soul…" all his children say in unison. "Whoever uses it can manipulate the direction of combat in his or her favor through Semblance. It can also be used for healing, defensive, and offensive purposes."

He nods. "Correct. Now, what is this Semblance? And what if I desire to only use it and nothing else?"

"Semblance is the embodiment of one's inner ability through physical, emotional, or psychological aspects. Overuse can cause one to lose Aura."

"Excellent." He stops right in front of them. "And finally, our human studies review. What are humans?"

"Humans are a waste to the world of Remnant, conjured through malice, ignorance, and greed. They care only for themselves and leave the rest to fade."

"How so?"

"They blame all of their problems on us instead of taking accountability. They have no qualms about taking credit, even at the expense of those who are deemed easy, or worthless."

"And what must we do should they come against one of our kind?"

"We must slaughter them."

Their father nods once more, the proud look evident in his eyes and the small twitch of a wolf ear. "Wonderful! Let us recite the oath of the White Fang." He faces the same direction as his children. On the wall far away is a large portrait of the once-peaceful organization's new High Leader, a dark-skinned woman with tiger ears and stripes all over her body. Once he starts the oath, they all join in.

"With the clutches of war, with Heaven's eyes, from dark shadows we all shall rise. Through fire, rain, and even hail, no matter the cost, we will prevail."

He turns back, smiling. "It seems I have trained you well. Now it's time you all sparred. I will divide you into teams of two. You may begin once I give you your partner, or, in this case, your opponent. Remember, show no mercy." He walks toward his two eldest kids, a male and a female with wolf ears, and points at them. "Randale, Ruelle, you will fight each other." They make their way to one side of the room and begin. Next, he walks toward Tenné and Lupe. "You two will fight." And finally, he looks at one more, a boy with a wolf tail. "Edon, this time, you have the benefit of observation." Edon sighs as the two older Faunus make their way to the other side of the room.

Once there, Tenné settles into a fighting stance, fists clenched, ready and waiting. Lupe, on the other hand, looks different. While she is also ready to fight, small beads of sweat run down her quivering body.

"It's okay," Tenné reassures her. "It's just me."

"I know." She gulps. "But something's wrong. One moment, we're trying to gain peace among humans and Faunus, the next, we're using fear! Didn't you hear the review? We're being trained to murder!"

"Yeah, but don't you remember what happened outside our house that day? If that's what a small riot can do, imagine what a full-fledged war will look like! You heard what Father said. Show no mercy! It's okay. I can take it." He smiles, letting her hit him.

Lupe takes a deep breath and nods. She throws a sloppy first punch and misses.

"Come on. You can do it!" Her brother cheers. She tries again, and, like the first time, it's very sloppy. She prompts herself to swing again and again. Every now and then, she makes contact, but the blows aren't very strong. Her face scrunches. She strains, trying to hit harder. Just then…

"Lupe!" A booming voice scares them out of their skin. Heavy footsteps travel near them. "It has been two years since your training commenced. You should be at a higher level than this."

Lupe struggles to speak back. "I-I'm trying the b-b-best that I can, Father."

His expression hardens. "Lupe, you know I do not respond to 'Father' anymore."

"I-I'm sorry…S-Sir."

"Has all the training I've given you been for naught?"

"N-N-No, Sir!" Lupe's eyes dart from her father to her brother. The beads of sweat multiply.

"Then, show me. Swing!"

She flinches at the gruff tone in his voice. She shakes, closes her eyes, and swings with another grunt, no better than the past few times. Once again, she misses.

"Stop!" their father yells. His large, heavy hand grips her arm and yanks her onto the ground, making her cry out. "Do you call that a swing? If I were to let you out in battle today, you would be killed immediately!" He turns to the rest of his children. "Everyone, front and center!"

They follow his command while he drags the screaming girl, her fingernails claw into the floor. He, then, flings her right in front of them.

"Children, this is a prime example of what we must see in humans: weakness, helplessness, and incompetence. The world has no place for such creatures." They stare and take his words to heart, while Tenné gapes at the sudden change in his behavior. Never has he seen nor heard of this coming from his father, of all people. "And this…" The man pulls out his weapon, a whip. "…is what we must do to people like her." Lupe's eyes follow the raising arm. She trembles.

Just before he swings, Tenné jumps in front of her and shields her, earning gasps. "Wait a minute!" he shouts.

"What?" Lowering his arm, their father curves his brows. "You dare to step out of line?"

"What are you doing?" Lupe whispers to her brother.

"What am I doing? No. What is he doing?" Tenné turns to the elder Faunus. "I know you're our father, and we truly respect everything you do…but this cannot be the way to teach the upcoming members of the White Fang..." He pauses, struggling to say the right words. "…doesn't our review say we should fight an enemy who comes against one of our kind? Lupe may not be the best fighter right now, but if you take the time to tell her what she's doing wrong and how she can improve, I guarantee you she can be just as good as High Leader Khan. So, please…don't hurt her for something that seems…unattainable at the moment." Tenné's face kneads.

Unfortunately, his words have fallen on deaf ears. Cold hands grab his ears and yank him to the floor.

Their father's orange eyes blaze at his daughter. "Lupe, front and center! It seems your brother wishes to take your place. Very well, you are safe." She staggers to her feet and rushes to her spot. "However, as punishment for your lackluster performance, you will miss the rest of today's meals."

She nods with a slight sniffle. "Yes, Sir."

He turns back to the boy on the ground. "And as for you…"

In one swift motion, he pulls Tenné's shirt off and rolls him onto his stomach. Pressing his foot on his lower back to keep him from moving, he raises his arm once again and swings with all his might. His clothes dampen with sweat, and with every strike comes a loud grunt. His twisted scowl worsens, and his hair starts to fall out of place.

Drops of blood splatter everywhere, causing a foul smell to fill the training room. The cracks fill the room as well, but nothing compares to the boy's ear-shattering screams. He arches his back, kicks his legs, and claws the floor as the small, sharp blades pierce his back. Randale and Ruelle are tough enough to keep their composure. Their lips curl, but Lupe and Edon try their best not to wince.

The moment their father's arm hurts from swinging so much, he stops. Tenné heaves, his orange eyes moisten. His ears rise at the footsteps traveling near his head.

The older man crouches and whispers, "My son, do not think of this as punishment. Think of this as merely a lesson, a representation of the pain we as Faunus have suffered. The world outside is cruel; therefore, you must learn to experience it as such."

Standing back up, he commands the rest to continue training, leaving his third-born on the ground. Edon becomes Lupe's new partner. As the others move back to their spots, the timid wolf Faunus stares at her quaking brother. Wanting to thank him and apologize for what just happened, she opens her mouth, but then, she decides against it and slowly leaves him to cry.

~oOo~

A shattering moon glows against the sky. The falling snowflakes pale in comparison to the stars around them. An engine's roar is the only thing it takes to ruin the silence and beauty of Atlas, the capital of Solitas.

Flying past the moon is a large contraption known as a bullhead. Inside, a creature with tusks pilots three others to a particular destination. Two of them, an elbow-feathered young man and a tail-feathered young woman, sit on boxes and converse to pass the time.

"You know, I never thought the Peterson family would grow even more." The elbow-feathered bird Faunus swings his legs back and forth.

"I know, right? Seven kids…that's crazy!" says the tail-feathered duck Faunus, picking at her teeth.

"I heard their second-youngest is a bit of a climber." The bird Faunus ponders for a moment. "He'd make a great White Fang member!"

"Jeez, isn't that dangerous for someone his age? He could fall! He's not supposed to be climbing things just yet! Besides, he's a _wolf_ Faunus! He can't even fly!"

He grins. "Heh, neither can you."

His counterpart crosses her arms, glaring. "Oh, can it, Mr. I-Can't-Swim!"

He waves his hand, changing the direction of their topic. "Their father's quite the family man, and a good one, at that. Mr. Schnee could learn a thing or two from him."

"Don't even start." She huffs. "That cold-hearted pig's just as crummy as any other human, if not more!"

"True…" The bird Faunus nods. "But I gotta ask, what's with that mustache, anyway? Looks like it keeps growing every time we see him."

"It looks heavy…it's almost as big as his ego!"

He smiles. "Yeah, I'm surprised all that hot air in his head can keep it up!"

The duck Faunus snickers. "With everything he's been spewing for the past few months…that's a looooot of hot air!"

"Shocking, isn't it? He's got all this money to keep his business going…" He tries to hold in his laughter. "But he can't even afford to make sense!"

And with that, they double over, falling off their boxes. They keep this up for about two minutes, snorting and crying. Their laughter, soon, dies down, and they sigh.

Wiping his tears, the bird Faunus turns to the third figure sitting at a window. "Isn't that right, Tenné?"

Not minding one thing his comrades say, the now seventeen-year-old looks at the night sky. He stands at 6'3, but his wolf ears give him extra height, and his toned body proves the harsh years of training to get into the White Fang.

Tracing his fingers over a particular design on his black jeans, an orange wolf howling inside a shattering moon, he recounts the events that brought him here in the first place. The riot, the training, and the sudden lashing of his father…he can even hear his words:

"Do not think of this as punishment...a representation of what the Faunus suffered…"

Tenné thinks of the scars on his back, a sign of his endurance and, also, his greatest lesson. If this is what suffering is, then he'd better give the humans everything from hell and beyond.

Joining the White Fang is the perfect first step to equality. By doing this, he's doing more than getting his foot in the door. He's making history, making a huge difference in the lives of many. So far, this is what he wants, and it just might get better -

"Yo, Tenné, you still there?" the bird Faunus yells.

"Yeah, we've been calling you for about ten seconds!" says the duck Faunus. "We're here!"

His wolf ears twitch at the head-splitting sound of their voices. "Hmmm? Oh, right!" He responds with a voice almost as deep as his father's and rushes to an opening hatch where the avian girl crouches.

Nearing them is a large military base surrounded by snow, mountains, and Atlas's most powerful weapon: crystallized forms called Dust. Large machines, searchlights, and human-like robots patrol the building.

The bird Faunus squats near them with a small computer in his hands. "I managed to hack a map of the place here. Security's under tight guard, but there is a way in through an air duct at the top. We just have to move quickly and quietly."

His counterpart sighs. "Like every other time, huh?"

"Plus…" He pulls three backpacks from behind him. Digging into one of them, he pulls out a couple of inventions with a small screen attached to it. "…I made these bombs by infusing the wires with Dust, thanks to our partners raiding the cargo train." He gives a dimpled grin, tossing one up and down. "With something as powerful as these bad boys, we can take this base down in, at least, six explosions."

"Perfect!" The duck Faunus smiles back as he puts them away. "Now, where to put them?"

"Way ahead of you!" He types something in his computer. A holographic map of the base beams from within, highlighting six separate areas with glowing, red dots. "There are six spots that contain high levels of Dust. Once those spots are corrupted, everything will disconnect. It's just like the Cross Continental Transmit System. If we can set the bombs there, that should do the trick."

"Sounds like a plan!" says Tenné.

The duck Faunus stands up and dons her backpack. "Don't forget your helmets and jackets." She, then, dons her own helmet, a white contraption similar to a biker's with a dark shield concealing her eyes. Her equally-colored jacket has the head of a red beast with claw marks scratched over it imprinted on the back. This is known and feared by many as the current symbol of the White Fang.

While the bird Faunus immediately dons his helmet, Tenné wears his jacket over his orange-brown bullet-proof vest before doing the same.

"All right, boys!" Bloodlust and arrogance oozes in the girl's voice. "Let's go destroy us a base!"

Right when they finish, the base lines just below the bullhead. The duck Faunus jumps off first, the bird next, and then, Tenné. Flying through the air, his jaws tighten as the oath repeats in his head.

"Through fire, rain, and even hail…no matter the cost, we will prevail."

Once they land on the roof of the base, they rush forward, avoiding as many searchlights, cameras, and soldiers as possible.

"Quickly, in here!" the bird Faunus opens a shaft.

One by one, they all jump inside with him going last. However, he doesn't enter without trouble. Because of his fast footing, he trips, causing something to fall out of his pocket. The avian boy stumbles inside with a small yelp and leaves the shaft wide open. The moment he's out of sight, a camera turns, spots the small computer from earlier, and zooms in. Then, it pans over to the shaft.

Little do they know, inside a control room, a few Atlesian soldiers in white have just picked up the image on their screens. All of them, minus a young man with silver-gray hair, narrow their eyes and tighten their lips. Sensing that a battle will soon come, the young man gulps.

Eight seconds pass, and the gang slides down a long, wide corridor. Small rays of light at the end shine through a large vent.

The duck Faunus cracks her fingers and clenches her fists as a bright green energy glows around them. Then, with a thrust of her palms, orbs shoot out and break the vent into several pieces. The shards clank against the floor as they land safely in the main room.

Easing their way up, they look around. Pillars stretch from every corner. A balcony encircles from high above. Gray walls with a hint of black surround as blue neon lights highlight along them. And within the lights are the initials "S.D.C." typed in white, representing the company this military is affiliated with. Infusing from within the walls are Dust, giving off enough warm for those inside to survive.

Tenné shoots a small glare at both avian-like creatures. "Jeez, whatever happened to quickly and quietly?"

"Ah, quit complaining. We're trying to blow up a base, we'll have to make noise at some point," says the duck Faunus as they all look around. "Speaking of which, I'm surprised we haven't been attacked yet. Those Atlesian soldiers usually fire the moment we show up."

"Maybe they've acquired a new strategy?" chimes the bird Faunus.

"A new strategy? Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know…maybe…maybe they can cut out the lights and try to sneak up on us."

"You're kidding, right?" The duck Faunus facepalms. "We're dealing with high-ranked officials here! There's no way they're gonna do that! How stupid do you think they are?"

Just then, everything cuts to black.

"Hopefully, very stupid?" He chuckles with a faint smile. Suddenly, a red dot flashes on his forehead.

"Look out!" She shoves him just as a gunshot echoes. They land on the ground just in time.

Tenné turns, looking upward. On the balcony above them, pairs of dark-gray android foot soldiers aim their gun-like arms. "Atlesian-130s…what a surprise."

Right when they fire, the gang rolls out of the way and hides behind a large container. "You just had to say something!" The duck Faunus glares.

"Don't look at me!" The bird Faunus shrugs. "If anything, these guys should have enough sense to know that we Faunus have night vision!"

She smacks him upside his head and hisses, "Shut up!"

Tenné rolls his eyes. "So, now what do we do?"

She thinks for a moment, then, looks to her counterpart. "Quick! How many of those sad excuses of military weaponry are there?"

The bird Faunus peeks around the pillar. A bullet flies past his face, making him yelp and turn back. "Fifteen!"

"Then we each take on five of them…" She unsheathes her weapon, a double-hooked sword. "Everyone split up on my mark!" All androids jump off the balcony reloading. "Three…two…one…" They land, almost surrounding the container with spinning arms. "Now!"

The gang rushes from behind the pillars. Bullets trail behind their feet.

The duck Faunus charges in a zigzag pattern and leaps. One end of her sword hooks around an android's head. The other four surround her. With all her strength, she swings herself around, kicking them. And when she grows tired, she unhooks and swings upward. Concealing herself in a large, green orb, she blocks their fire. The duck Faunus throws her sword like a boomerang, and both ends slice off their heads. The weapon returns as she crashes down on the middle android with a Cheshire cat grin.

At one end of the base, five androids encircle the bird Faunus. He pulls out a long sling with small, yellow pebbles inside. Swinging it around, he sticks his tongue out. One of them charges, and its gun-like arms retract.

Blades protrude just as it swings. He flips out of the way and slings the pebbles…a direct hit. Electricity surges through the android, and it explodes, making the two blades fall near him. "Hmm…" he hums.

The other four charge. He loads his weapon with blue pebbles, dodging gunfire with ease, and grabs the blades. The pebbles fling at their feet, and ice grows from the floor. They try to shoot the ice away, but to no avail.

The duck Faunus wraps his sling around his newly-acquired weapons and dashes to them, the bullets never seeming to hit him. The blades slice them left and right, and they fall apart. He cocks an eyebrow while swinging his weapon in a figure eight.

At the other end of the base, the last five androids close in on Tenné. Already in a fighting stance, his eyes shift to each one. The android behind him cocks its gun-like arms. He charges forward, bullets following his every move. He leaps onto another, and the shooting android aims at him. He jumps off just as it fires, tricking it into killing one of its partners.

With a flex of his arms, two blades protrude from Predator, his metal cestuses, and dig their way into a third one. The first fires again, and Tenné pulls the same trick. He keeps going until the shooting android becomes the last one standing.

Charging, he sweeps his leg. Before it can land, he kicks it into the air and leaps after it. He, then, grabs it by the leg, swings it around, and chucks it downward. No sooner than when the android lands, he crashes down, burying his blades and ripping it apart. He retracts them as his comrades walk toward him.

"Nice work, boys," says the duck Faunus, "Although, that was a little too easy!"

"I know, right? That was target practice at best!" the bird Faunus adds.

Suddenly, a siren goes off. The once blue neon lights flash a bright red. The captions change from "S.D.C." to "WARNING!" A loud chime goes off, and automatic doors slide open. Large hordes of white-clothed Atlesian soldiers rush out, machine guns at the ready.

"Oh, look! Fresh meat!" He looks at his counterpart. "Care to start us off?"

"Gladly!" The duck Faunus smiles and lifts her leg slowly. The moment she stomps, a green wave pushes the soldiers upward. They scream and she jumps, kicking some of them toward her teammates.

The bird Faunus slings his weapon around one soldier and yanks him. His foot buries into the guy's stomach. The sling, then, wraps around another's neck. He claws at it before being swung to and fro. The moment it snaps, he's set free and crashes into a third one. Their guns drop, and the bird Faunus smiles, getting another idea. He slings one of the blades free, and it flies through the air, impaling the two soldiers.

Setting the other at his waist, he wraps the sling around one of the guns. Leaping, he swings with good aim and a hearty laugh. Every bullet that fires strikes everyone on his end. One goes through a soldier's eye, another through a skull, and another through the chest.

In a matter of seconds, the bird Faunus finishes his part of the horde. He yanks the sling toward him and catches the gun. Landing on his feet, he pumps his fist in the air, shouting, "Yes!" Bullet shells, blood, bodies, and feathers rain down. Screaming and groaning ring in his ears, drowning out the sound of his pounding heart.

Meanwhile, one soldier falls toward the duck Faunus. She catches him, burying one end of her sword into his skull, and flings him off as he screams for dear life. She flips, giving herself a boost jump with her Semblance. With a twist of her weapon, it splits in two. When she's high enough, she slashes as many enemies as possible. They all gather in a pile below her. She prepares another orb and crashes down on them. Dismembered body parts fly everywhere as she nods with tight lips and heavy breathing.

At the same time, Tenné slaughters everything coming his way. Pain surges through his arms, and sweat pours. However, he smiles through it all. Flesh ripping, bones crushing, blood splattering; it all overtakes him until...

 _BANG!_

A bullet grazes the skin of his arm. He cries out and leers back. Standing with a machine gun pointing at him is a bloody soldier. Tenné bares his teeth for a moment, but he stops. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Out of nowhere, an orange glow surrounds him, and the wound on his arm heals itself.

The soldier pales and fires again. This time, the bullets bounce off without any damage. Tenné closes in on him, the blades screeching against the pavement like nails on a chalkboard. One swipe knocks the soldier on his back. A heavy boot lands right on his neck and presses. He gives a blood-curdling scream, begging for mercy.

"Pathetic…" The Faunus spits out. A loud snap fills his ears, and the poor man's body goes limp.

Tenné takes his foot off.

Suddenly, his wolf ears twitch. Footsteps approach him from behind as one of his hands clenches. Sensing the butt of a gun swinging his way, he ducks and turns. An orange clone of himself zooms to the attacking soldier and uppercuts his chin before the real deal follows suit. The moment his fist makes contact, the blades pierce through his skull. Tenné lifts him high in the air with just one arm. Taking in the sound of the man's choking, his lips curl upward. His nose fills with a fresh, copper-like smell, and he chucks him away, ending his part of the human horde.

"Dude…" says the bird Faunus. He and his counterpart run to him. "I wish I had your Semblance! Swiftly pinpointing a possible weakness…man, that'd make my job easier!"

"Yeah! With your skills and cold-bloodedness, you could easily become the next High Leader!" The duck Faunus beams.

Tenné scoffs at the idea.

"So, where to next?" she asks the bird Faunus.

"Well, according to my computer…" He reaches in his back pocket…he pauses. His hands fumble through every pocket he has, and soon, his eyes go 'round. "Uh oh…"

"What is it now?"

"My computer…I can't find it! I must've dropped it somewhere!"

"Ugh…" She facepalms. "I should've known something would go wrong! Like I said, this mission is way too easy!"

"Yeah, but it's not like we haven't pulled through stuff like this," Tenné says, hands behind his head without a care in the world. "It's happened with almost every mission we've gone on before."

Trying his best not to panic, the bird Faunus takes a deep breath. "Okay…I may have lost my computer, but there's still some hope. I, at least, know what rooms we need to set these bombs in. The thing is…I only remember exactly what floor to set one of them in, and that's this floor in this room."

"That's better than nothing!" the duck Faunus digs into her backpack and pulls out one of her bombs. She places it on a pillar. "One down, five to go! Next?"

He counts his fingers. "Let's see…there's the control room, the evidence storage, the armory storage, the medical facility, and…" He snaps his fingers, trying to recall the last room. "What is it?"

The duck Faunus taps her foot. "We don't have all day!"

"Oh, that's right! The library!" he finally says and points to where the soldiers came from. "We can get to the next floor by taking the elevator those jerks came out of!"

"All right, then! You take on the medical facility and evidence storage; I'll take the library." She turns to the wolf Faunus. "That leaves the armory storage and the control room to you, Tenné." They nod. "Let's move!"

The gang rushes to the elevator and presses the button next to it. Not even five seconds go by, and the chime from earlier sounds. The doors slide open, and the first thing they see is another set of soldiers pointing their guns at them. All three of them glance. Smirks creep upon their faces…

Outside the second floor, the automatic doors open. Bodies of Atlesian soldiers fly out, and the White Fang exits, completely unharmed.

"Well, that was a nice workout!" Tenné dusts his hands as the others move past him.

"Let's split up here. Once Tenné and I place a bomb of our own, I'll set the charges. We should be able to finish everything else by then," says the bird Faunus.

"Got it," the others say.

The bird Faunus goes left and the duck Faunus goes right, leaving the path straight ahead to Tenné. He moves onward, the grin still on his face. _Finally, I can let loose,_ he thinks. _No allies to worry about!_ Mounted near the ceiling are cameras turning from side to side, catching as much as possible. The moment they spot him, small cannons pop out and fire. He moves much like his female partner in a zigzag pattern. He leaps, knocking each and every camera down with no mercy, and continues.

Just around the corner are more robots and Atlesian soldiers. Aware that they are heading his way, he places his back against a wall and waits until the last soldier passes. Arms wrap around the soldier's neck and snap it effortlessly. Everyone else turns to the sound of the man's scream, but they're too late as Tenné picks up the dropped weapon and fires.

Despite being the strongest, yet slowest of the three, he is still able to strike at a good pace. In a matter of seconds, bodies fall to the ground. And he doesn't stop until he's absolutely sure none of them are moving. Coming down from the adrenaline, Tenné hoists his newfound weapon, thinking to himself,

 _Some of these fights are trivial, only goons last this long. No matter…_ He runs further down. _At this rate, I'll be one step closer to bringing this base down!_

Suddenly, his head pounds, slowing him with a grunt.

A familiar voice rings in his ears, "The last time he saw a riot, he walked off mumbling about how we're one step closer."

The pain stops right after, and his face goes blank. "What the…" Running a hand down his face, he snaps out of it and continues.

Seconds later, his eyes catch the glimpse of a sign. Stopping himself before he goes too far, he moves back, seeing "Armory Storage" written in big, bold letters.

"That was quick!" he says.

At the same time, inside the control room, the small group of soldiers watches everything from their own screens.

"One of the vermin just entered the Armory Storage," says one of them.

"And another just walked into the medical facility," says another.

"These guys are too fast!" The first soldier shifts to the young man. "Quick! See if you can hack into those bombs and stop them!"

With sweat pouring down his face, his fingers dance over the keys. The screen of his computer zooms into the bomb in the medical facility. Trying to hack into the screen of the device itself, he keys in a few codes, only to be denied access after a few tries. "Drat! I can't get in!" He scans its inside. "The bomb must be entirely infused with Dust. If I try to go even further, we may end up setting it off. There's no use doing anything to it."

The first soldier slams his fist.

The second soldier faces him. "Looks like the only thing we can do now is stop them before they set anymore!" He pulls a small microphone beside him and orders more men to be stationed at each and every room unattended at the moment, heavily emphasizing that they leave no trace of Faunus-kind. All around the interior of the base, Atlesian soldiers gather their firearms, yelling and storming along the way.

Meanwhile, upon entering the Armory Storage, cargos of Dust, bullets, and firearms surround the wolf Faunus. He finds the perfect spot, a small corner. After finishing his first order of business, he calls his teammates via a wristwatch. "This is Tenné, the first bomb has been placed."

The bird Faunus's voice responds. "Great! I've just placed mine, too. I'm setting the charges now." Immediately, the timer starts. Flashing on the screen are five minutes counting down.

The duck Faunus's voice calls, "It's only a matter of time before this place goes down. Let's hurry and show everyone what we're made of."

"Roger." The guys say as the wolf Faunus turns off his communicator.

The second he runs out, hordes of soldiers and androids block his way, more than usual. And, from the looks of things, they don't seem to be weaklings. Oh well, weak never was his forte, anyway. Not even caring about the hoisted gun, he flexes his arms, making his blades protrude as he charges toward them. The bullets fly fast, almost enough to catch their target. Although impressed, he endlessly swipes, piercing them all the same with a smug grin. Flesh and metal fall before him in a pool of blood.

The feeling of bloodlust and adrenaline lasts for about five seconds before…

"Didn't you hear the oath? How can someone who seems so concerned about these riots just throw their own children out into battle?" The voice comes again.

His head pounds once more as another voice rings, "The world is cruel…you must experience it as such."

Tenné shakes his head. The pain stops for a moment before returning stronger than the last. Trying to ignore it, he moves forward, checking every floor as quickly as possible and crushing more goons along the way. But, no matter how hard he tries, he can't shake it. Many things start piling on him.

"We must slaughter them," a group of voices repeat.

The pounding intensifies. His pace quickens, and sweat streams down his face. His vision distorts as the gray walls around him redden and melt. He, then, stops, shuts his eyes, and takes a deep breath. The moment they open, everything is quiet. Standing not very far from him is a door with bold letters saying, "Control Room."

Inside, the two soldiers sweat as every vision on the screen cuts off.

"Dang it! They're quicker than usual! What's gotten into 'em?" the first one shouts.

"No time for that…" The young man types. "Look at this!" He points to a small tracker on his screen. "One of them just entered our floor. I think he's coming to this room!"

"Well, we'll make sure he doesn't come out alive! Everyone, ready your weapons!"

The young man just stands while everyone else obeys. "Ready our weapons? But the room is filled with highly-combustible technology! That's a disaster waiting to happen!" A gun shoves into his arms.

"We have no choice! Unless you want to become more than Faunus prey, we highly suggest you swallow your pride and do as you're told! Besides, we're professionals…" The second soldier looks him up and down. "…well, almost all of us are."

They all find good hiding places as the young man simply ducks underneath his table, shaking.

Outside, Tenné stares at the sign on the door. At long last, he is nearing the end of his mission. He can finally rest when all of this is over. He winds his shoulders back. Knowing this is a control room, there are bound to be many soldiers. Prepping his machine gun, he rushes into the darkness.

The door shuts, leaving him with his wits, his weapons, and his night vision. He slowly steps forward, careful not to cause any kind of alarm. And that's when the bullets flash.

He opens fire, surprising every single soldier. Even if he doesn't shoot someone, he manages to hit some kind of machine, causing combustion near one. Almost everyone drops dead as quickly as they were hit. Immediately after tossing his gun and backpack away, Tenné turns on the lights and places his last bomb…just two minutes left. Good timing.

He activates his communicator. "This is Tenné, I've placed the second bomb and will retreat back to the bullhead."

"See, that's why you're a part of us, Tenné! Now, hurry and…" Static interrupts the bird Faunus mid-sentence. "…the Atlesian forces…getting stronger now that…the base…" The bird Faunus loses a connection.

Taken aback by the sudden static, Tenné tries to contact his male teammate…no answer. He tries again until...he gets a call.

The frantic voice of the duck Faunus yells from the other side, "Tenné, can you hear me?"

His ears straighten. "I'm here. What's going on?"

"They've got him! He's dead! He's - "

"There she is," a man shouts.

"We've got her now," another adds.

The next and last thing Tenné hears from her is, "Wait…no! No - " Machine guns come, a high-pitched scream after, and then...silence. His heart stops.

Meanwhile, a hand slowly reaches out and a gun fires blindly. Fortunately, the bullet misses Tenné by only a few inches. He whips his head, catching a small glimpse of a figure moving behind the desk. He trudges to it and kicks it away. Now in plain sight is the trembling young man.

With his finger hovering over the trigger, he raises the weapon to the Faunus's face. One swipe is all it takes for it to fly out of his hand. He tries to get away, but another swipe knocks him onto his stomach.

He claws the ground. A foot digs into his back, keeping him in place. Tenné chuckles and raises his arm slowly, his blades protruding.

But before he can swing, the pounding returns. He grabs his head as his surroundings melt again. This time, a vision clouds his mind, one he knows all too well. He looks down, and right in the young man's place is his younger self. He turns around and standing behind him is none other than his father.

Tenné backs away, unaware of the young man and tripping over him instead. Something presses into his back as he tries to escape. Just above him, the arm raises. It swings and the same scream he let out years ago comes out for the second time.

The screams must have helped, because he looks at his surroundings and finds he's back in the control room. Panting, he realizes that another desk lies on top of him and beside him is the young man, who must have been knocked out from the impact.

Tenné pulls both him and the guy out and takes a look at his own hands, rough and bloodstained. The things his father taught him from the start, the things his sister warned him about. It all hits him like a ton of bricks. _Are we really being trained to murder?_ _Is this why I'm here, why I joined the White Fang? Why I'm here setting bombs—wait, bombs!_

He slowly checks the timer...orange eyes flash. After all the flashbacks he's had, one minute and thirty seconds have turned into one minute and fifteen seconds.

His gaze shifts to the boy and back. He begins to hesitate, but, after a firm shake of his head and an exasperated scream, he hoists him onto his shoulder and dashes out of the control room.

Fifty seconds. Not too far from the roof. Cameras fire their mini cannons at them. He rushes straight ahead, not bothering to think of a pattern for footsteps. Beams burn his shoulders and arms. He cries out, but he keeps moving.

Forty seconds. They make it to the elevator. Tenné taps his foot as the heavy weight pushes them to the highest floor. He looks at his communicator.

Twenty-five seconds. The doors open. Right in front of him lay the bodies of his teammates and enemies. He gasps, slowing down for a second before moving.

Fifteen seconds. He finds an exit and kicks the door open. Leading upward is a flight of stairs. He runs, skipping as many as he can until he reaches another door. He opens it; a bright light shines through.

Ten seconds. Finally on the roof. Androids, cameras, and lights are everywhere, but the bullhead is in sight with a ladder hanging down. He sighs in relief.

Suddenly, loud explosions come from below. His heart pounds as he pushes himself further. His arms burn from the gunfire, and his legs ache even more, yet his grip on the young man tightens.

Five seconds on the timer…the explosions grow near.

Four seconds…he reaches the edge of the base.

Three…he leaps off.

Two…he flies through the air.

One…his hand grips the ladder, and the bullhead zooms off.

 _BOOM!_

The base finally goes down. Everything left behind, the soldiers, the Dust and armory, and two-thirds of the White Fang, goes down with it.

The ladder pulls the boys inside. Tenné sits the young man down and disguises him with his own helmet and jacket, huffing and wheezing. Blood and sweat drip on the ground as he finishes, plopping right beside him.

"Man, that must've been some mission…" He turns to the gruff voice of the pilot. "…only two of you made it?"

He ignores him, trying to heal, but his Aura flickers. The wolf Faunus grunts, attempting a few more times before finally giving up. Like the young man beside him, he soon passes out as the bullhead flies through the night sky.

~oOo~

After what seemed like hours, orange eyes shoot open. With his ears twitching at a loud snore, Tenné turns to the pilot. His head is tilted back and drool hangs from his mouth.

"Gods, I hope that thing's on autopilot," he whispers. Looking around, everything comes flooding back. The mission, the base, his team…all gone. He slowly pushes himself onto his feet and looks out the window. There's no snow to be found, only buildings. He sighs, annoyed by the fact that he isn't home yet, but, at the same time, relieved that he isn't with his father.

Just the mere thought urges him to look at his hands again. The palms face him, reminding him of the blood spilled, all for the cause of someone he thought he could trust. The realization still hits hard. He clenches them and bares his fangs, thinking of how and why someone would turn his own kind into monsters.

His eyes set on the guy beside him. This isn't something the White Fang condones. Far from it, actually. He should've decimated him and moved onward, and yet…he just couldn't. He seemed helpless. The way he squirmed back at the base told him he didn't want any part of this either. And while he doesn't want to admit it, while he is unsure if this is the right thing to do, this poor, helpless man…he could see himself in his place.

He can't live like this, it isn't what he wants. Something's got to give. Looking in the direction the bullhead is flying, Tenné spots a well-sized building not too far off. An idea comes to mind, one he doesn't like, but one that will have to do for now.

Taking extra care not to disturb the pilot, he picks up the young man and sneaks toward the hatch. "Looks like I'll take him for one last ride." Once the building lines up perfectly, he opens the hatch and jumps off. The moment they disappear, the pilot jolts awake.

"Huh? Whazzat?" He turns to see that he's alone. "Hey, weren't those two just here? Who's supposed to report back to the High Leader?" He sighs. "She ain't gonna like this…"

Outside, Tenné and the young man fly through the air once again. Seconds pass as the former braces himself and lands on the roof of the building. Pain surges through his feet, but he's used to it.

With nothing else to think of for him, Tenné sets the young man down and runs off. The moment he does, the guy slowly awakens.

Clutching the throbbing spot on his head, he asks himself, "What happened?" He looks around. "How did I end up here?" He, then, turns, catching a glimpse of his savior removing his communicator and leaping off. He removes the helmet, rubs his eyes, and blinks. The young man takes another look, but no one is there. He walks over to pick up and inspect the watch. "Hmm…"

Meanwhile, Tenné jumps from building to ledge to building, carefully lowering himself to the ground in a dark alleyway. He slowly peaks around the corner. Once he's sure the coast is clear, he steps out, gaping at everything. "Whoa…" he says.

Tall buildings surround him, tons of cars honk as they pass each other, and blue holographic post lights shine on every street. For a human establishment, he has to admit this doesn't seem half bad. The one thing that really surprises him, however, is the citizens.

He gawks at the sight of a regular-looking man having a friendly conversation with an entirely-scaly woman. At another spot not too far off is a woman laughing with a cotton-tailed man. "Humans…and Faunus…together?" He runs his fingers through his hair. "No one's trying to slice each other's heads off…am I dead?"

Something rumbles. Feeling a weirdly-familiar sensation, he clutches his stomach. "I guess exhaustion isn't the only thing that made me pass out..." With a fold of his ears, he scans each and every building. Catching his interest are a bookstore, a Dust shop, a clothing store, and…

White smoke trails by. He inhales and his stomach rumbles louder. "Aha! A bakery!" Using his heightened sense of smell, he follows it down the street. Seconds after, he arrives at a small shop. Displayed at the top in bold letters is a large sign saying, "Granny's Baked Goods."

Tenné smiles. "All right, I can grab a quick bite and go into hiding! This shouldn't be a problem!" He enters; the door hits a bell above him, and a warm sensation comforts him immediately. The black and white tiled floor makes him feel at home. Inside a glass counter in front of him are many wonderfully-decorated sweets. Right behind the counter is another door. An old shopkeep enters from the other side.

"Welcome to Granny's Baked Goods, home to all the better goods on this side of Vale! What can I get for you?" He greets him.

Tenné gapes at the sudden hospitality. No human has ever been so nice to him. Surely, he must be dead. "Um…" He looks at the many displays of cakes, pies, and bread. It takes so much for him to keep from drooling. He would take one of everything if he could, but he doesn't want to seem greedy, and he's still skeptical about human behavior, so he gives a small order. "…I'll just take a small loaf of bread and some water."

Now, it's the shopkeep's turn to gape. "Are you sure? There's so much to choose from." He points at one of the items. "We've just started selling this brand new pastry. You could be one of the first to try it out!"

The wolf Faunus puts one hand up. "I think I'll pass."

"All right, then, but you don't know what you're missing." The shopkeep finishes in sing-song voice and rushes back into the room, a kitchen. Not even 10 seconds go by, and he returns with a bag of bread and a bottle of water.

Tenné's eyes flash. "Wow!"

"Impressive, huh?"

He nods.

"That'll be two hundred and eighty Lien."

He reaches back. His eyes flash at the feeling of empty pockets. _My wallet!_ He thinks to himself. _Crap, I must've left it in the bullhead! Now, what?_ He rubs his chin. Then, his ears perk. _That's it!_ Pretending to pull his wallet out, he looks at the shopkeep and responds with the nicest expression he can fake, "Actually, I've thought about it, and you've convinced me! That pastry looks really good! I think I'll try it after all!"

Like someone who just hit the jackpot, the old man beams. "Oh, wonderful! Coming right up!" He dashes back into the kitchen as fast as he came out with the bread and water.

Tenné smirks. _Now's my chance!_ And with that, he snatches the food off the counter and makes a run for it, ignoring the doorbell.

"My good man, you are the second customer to order this tonight!" The shopkeep walks out with a small box in his hands. "I can guarantee you'll love…"

He trails off at the missing presence of a wolf Faunus and his food. The corners of his lips curl downward. He tosses the box aside and pulls out his cellular device, his Scroll. He dials a number and puts the device to his ear. "Hello? Police?"

Outside, Tenné goes as fast as the pain allows him to. "Not the best plan I can come up with, but it'll do."

Suddenly, loud sirens blare behind him. Sweat pours. "Man, security here is quick!" He pushes himself further, just about to pass the alleyway. What he doesn't know is someone is already there in the shadows waiting. Right as he passes by, something pops out and messes up his footing. He lands face first on the concrete, his food falling right above his head. "You've gotta be kidding me…" He tries to push himself up, only for the sirens to grow louder and a foot to push him back down.

His arms pull back.

"Stay down, you're under arrest," a voice shouts.

Metal cuffs wrap around his wrists. The cops pull him to his feet and lead him inside their car. The moment the door closes, he frowns.

Just catching up to them is the shopkeep. He clasps his hands together with a gleam in his small eyes. Grabbing one of the cops' hands, he shakes it vigorously, thanking them for everything.

"Just doing our job," one of them says.

Tenné turns his attention to his belongings, safe in the bag but still on the ground. He growls. "So much for survival."

Out of nowhere, a cane and a pair of black dress shoes make their way toward them. A fair-skinned hand reaches down, revealing silver tousled hair. The figure stands upright, prompting the wolf Faunus to inch closer to take a better look. Gracing everyone's presence is a man in a dark green suit.

"Hey, it's Ozpin! What are you doing out here?" another cop asks.

"It's good to see all of you," a professional, yet polite, voice answers. "I take it everything's fine?"

"You bet! We just caught another thief today, and a strange one, at that! All he stole was some bread and water!" Ozpin turns his head to the window of the car. "It's a good thing he tripped! We wouldn't have caught him! At least he didn't put up a fight!" Thin, brown eyes meet wild, orange ones.

Tenné blinks. _Isn't that…Beacon's headmaster?_

"He seems quite young…" With a push of his very small spectacles, the brown-eyed man turns back.

"Yeah, he must be. Is he one of yours?" the cop asks him.

He ponders, glancing at the window and, then, back at them. "Why, yes! Yes, he is!" Everyone outside the car jerks back.

"Why didn't you say so? We could've helped you look for him!"

"Well now, he could've been anyone." He pulls out his own wallet, giving the shopkeep more than enough Lien to cover. "I sincerely apologize for his behavior."

The shopkeep smiles. "Bless your heart, sir! I can't possibly repay you for such a kind gesture! It wouldn't be enough!"

"Actually, there is something I've been longing for you to do for me."

"Anything!"

"If you don't mind…" Ozpin grins. "…I would love to try another one of your pastries."

"You're in luck! I happen to have one ready right now! I'll be right back!" Without missing a beat, the shopkeep runs off.

The moment he's out of sight, he faces the cops. "And while I'm waiting, I believe I'll take this young man off your hands."

They nod.

From inside, Tenné peers at them. "What's going on out there?" He leans forward to listen when, suddenly, the door opens. He almost falls out screaming.

"Looks like it's your lucky day, kid! Someone's here to take you back where you belong!" A cop pulls him out and unlocks the cuffs. "You should be thankful! If your headmaster wasn't around, you would've been stuck in the slammer for gods know how long!"

"My…headmaster?" Tenné mutters, looking at the man in green.

Just as fast as before, the shopkeep comes running back with a box in his hands and happily gives it to his favorite customer. "Here you are, sir! Please enjoy!"

"Thank you! I most definitely will!" Ozpin nods. "And I will leave you all to your jobs!" He faces the wolf Faunus. "Now, come along! Let's get you back home!"

Tenné gives a blank stare. Just who does this man think he is, acting as if he owns him? Then again, he doesn't want to be in this predicament any longer, and it's possible his new acquaintance feels the same way. And so, he reluctantly follows him.

"Take care, you two!" says one of the cops as they get inside the car. Ozpin waves as he and his "student" walk around the corner of a building.

The second they are out of sight, the green-clad man breaks the short silence, his polite voice never wavering. "Well…that sure was a close one." He pauses, somewhat expecting the boy to give a response. Instead, he is given a strange, untrusting look. He continues. "Those cops can be quite persistent, but I'm glad we've gotten things settled. Now, if you'll excuse me…" He walks onward, leaving him in his place. "…I believe I have a pastry to enjoy. Please, take care of yourself."

Tenné watches the man. That's strange. He just saves him and leaves…without even a hint of concern about his Faunus traits. The boy shakes his head. Who is he kidding? He shouldn't be interested in the venomous minds of humans. If anything, he should get going before something else happens, something worse than getting arrested. He tries to walk off…

Something eats away at his mind, a burning question he knows he shouldn't bother asking. However, with curiosity getting the better of him, he hurries back.

"Wait!" he shouts. "Why did you do that?"

Ozpin stops at the sudden sound of his voice and turns. "I beg your pardon?"

"Why…did you do that?" He catches up, panting. "Why did you save me? You could've let those cops take me away, yet you chose to help out."

He smiles, finally having a conversation. It was getting lonely, anyway. "While you are correct, it would be a shame for someone as physical as you to fall to authorities so easily. You seem to be a well-polished fighter, but, let's face it: you look as if you could faint any second." He receives a look of anger and shock. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to lose Aura in the middle of a run, so I thought it best if you could take a little 'break.'"

The wolf Faunus's ears pull back. "So, you tripped me…what was the point of that?"

"Well, I had to get your attention somehow. And, based on your emotional capabilities, grabbing you didn't seem to be the best idea."

"Isn't that something? A headmaster…scared of getting decimated by a seventeen year-old." He scoffs. "Pathetic."

Ozpin chuckles. "Yes, well there is a time where one must pick and choose his own battles. Am I not correct, Mr. Peterson?"

Tenné stops in his tracks. "How…how do you know my -?"

"I know many things, including what your kind has been through." Ozpin stops. "And I sincerely apologize. I would change everything for the good of the Faunus if I could."

Okay…now he's messing with him. He crosses his arms. "Yeah…sure you would."

"I know you share some animosity towards us, and I honestly can't blame you, but there are some who aren't as bad as they seem."

Tenné starts to back away. "That's a load of bull if I've ever heard one. Not to hurt your feelings, but I don't need your pity. In fact, I never really needed you in the first place. I could've gotten away on my own." And on that note, he starts to walk back to the corner.

Continuing on his own path, Ozpin sighs. "Suit yourself."

"Well, that was creepy." Tenné rubs his wrists, still uncomfortable from the handcuffs. "At least, I'm able to go into hiding and enjoy…" He trails off, realizing he left something important…his food. "Hey!" He turns back and yells, facing the man…or, at least, where he was standing. He jolts.

An engine roars. Not too far above him, an airship rises, and standing with the hatch wide open is the headmaster.

"What the heck? How'd he get up there so fast?" Brushing the matter off, Tenné, once again, leaps his way up the buildings as the airship starts to leave. Bouncing off a ledge, he reaches the machine and swings himself inside just as the hatch closes.

Inside, Ozpin chews a small bit of his pastry, his back turned to the opening. Hearing a slightly heavy thump on the ground, he swallows. "Oh, so you've decided to tag along after all!"

"Give it back!" Tenné lunges. He comes so close to hitting him, but the unruffled man sidesteps, taking another bite.

The wolf Faunus snarls, landing on his feet with pain surging through his body. He lunges again and, like before, misses. Many attempts later, he yells, "I won it fair and square!" He clashes with the man, swinging at every angle. "Do you wanna get smacked?"

Ozpin weaves his way through the barrage of attacks, all with a smile. "Technically, I won it since you stole it. Not to mention…" He tosses his pastry in the air, ducking from another swing. He sweeps his leg and digs his foot into the boy's side. An orange sheen glows as he finishes his sentence. "…I paid for it." He holds his hand out, and the pastry lands right in his palm. The young man staggers to his feet. "Had I not done so, you wouldn't be standing here at all. Your irrational behavior is what brought you into this mess."

Tenné rolls his eyes. Why is he wasting his time with a shady man? "Whatever…" He holds his palm out. "…just give me my food so I can get back to where I need to be."

"And where exactly might that be?"

"That's none of your business! Besides, I'm well-polished, aren't I? I'll manage."

"Really? From the looks of things, you haven't a single clue. If I didn't know better, I'd even say you have quite an interesting story. Your eyes reveal everything."

"You're kidding?" He scoffs. "I have a story that interests you?"

"Well, what do you think?"

"They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. If that's the case, what do you see?"

"Hmm…" Ozpin takes a closer look. "…I see a young man who has a troubled past. One who was shaped to lead his people to everlasting prosperity, only to turn his back when he discovered the true motivations of someone he trusted." He leans back. "He reminds me of a young lady with a similar issue."

Shocked once again, Tenné watches as the headmaster sits across the hatch. Right on the table in front of him is his bagged food and a mug of what seems to be hot tea. "Just what are you? Some kind of time-lord? How do you know all of this?"

"As I've said before, I know many things. And I know a way to help." He gestures for the boy to sit.

With a stone, cold look on his face, he plops into the chair, arms and legs crossing. "All right, shoot."

"Wonderful! Now, as we both know, you just abandoned the White Fang after taking down one of Atlas's military bases. An impressive feat, for one so young." Ozpin states matter-of-factly. "Before then, you had the military and the Schnee Dust Company painting a target on your back. But, as of now, it's likely your own allies will also start looking for you at any time, considering how persistent the White Fang is. For the time being, you will need a place to hide, and that's where I come in."

Tenné starts to narrow his eyes. Where's he going with this?

"I have a colleague who happens to be…" Ozpin tries to find the right words. "…affiliated with your worst enemy the Schnee Dust Company. Despite this, he isn't particularly fond of its president. Rumor has it he is willing to go out of his way to defy his wishes should they interfere with certain principles."

"Principles? You mean money, fame, and the like, right?" The Faunus smirks.

"Oh, it's not that special…government officials, safety of mankind..." He takes a sip from his mug. "…discrimination."

Tenné irks at the last word.

"As I've said before, I understand your hatred for humans. But I am willing to cooperate if you are; however, you'll have to abide by certain rules."

He huffs. "I should've known there was a catch. Living at the mercy of humans? That's some notion. I don't know if you've already figured it out, but I'm here to stop inequality! I didn't come here to fall to it!"

"I'm not leading you to inequality. I'm leading you to a chance for freedom at the cost of temporary obedience." Ozpin lays a file filled with a small stack of papers in front of him.

Tenné opens the file, looking through it. "What are these?"

"Applications."

"Applications? For what?"

"Well…" Ozpin juts his head toward a window "…see for yourself."

He looks outside. Right in front of them is a multitude of buildings stretching far and wide, and dead in the center of it all is a tall tower with green lights nearly blinding the sky. The place before them is none other than the reason the green-suited man is called headmaster.

"You're joking. I just ran off from a place filled with scum and now you're making me go to another? That's just like humans."

"I won't make you go, that's something you'll have to decide on your own. Now, you may refuse the offer, and I'll release you." Ozpin leans forward. "But let me remind you: if you do so, it will only be a matter of time before someone finds you, be it the White Fang, Atlesian officials, or some other advocate of the Schnee Dust Company." He sits his mug down and clasps his hands together. "But, if you accept, I will try my hardest to keep you hidden. The placement test should be no problem, considering your reputation. You would fit in just fine. So…what do you say?"

Tenné looks at the academy. What is he even doing? This isn't how he imagined things would turn out. But Ozpin's right, he has no place to go. If what he's claiming is true, then he guesses, for the time being…

He looks back at him and sighs. "Let's get this over with..."


	3. Chapter M

" _True intellect and resolution stem from those of unforeseen circumstances."_

In the depths of a nearby forest, a middle-aged man stands in an open area. With closed eyes, he slowly takes a deep breath. The gentle breeze blows through his jet-black hair, allowing him to pinpoint any and every sound that comes. Leaves and twigs crunch at random spots in the surrounding tall trees. And with each crunch comes an abrupt stop.

A strangely-shaped figure perches on a branch in the shadows behind him. Grinning, the figure musters as much force as possible and lunges. The man opens his eyes and turns at the last second, clashing with a fair-skinned teenage boy.

They exchange blows and friendly banter until the latter throws a jab, and the man parries. Leaping back from a leg swing, the boy vanishes into the trees. Leaves crunch as he strikes from the side. He rolls onto his feet, missing by just inches. He growls.

Series of swings later, the boy's arms tire. He roundhouse-kicks, but his leg gets caught. He gasps and pulls free. His opponent stumbles forward, earning him the chance to be head-butted. The man nods with tight lips.

The boy smirks, then pales, weaving from a sudden jab. He sidesteps one way, and then another, chuckling until…

 _WHAM!_

A knee whacks him square in the nose. He rubs it.

With the distraction at hand, the man slams his fists. The boy catches them at the last second.

Clashing once more, they try to push each other. Just seconds after, the older fighter starts moving back, and the boy's face lights up. _This isn't half bad,_ he thinks. _At this rate, I might actually win for once –_

The man sidesteps. The boy pales again as he stumbles. One leg sweep, and he's flat on his stomach. He rolls over a little too late and gets straddled.

He braces himself for the final blow as the man winds his arm back…nothing happens. He looks, and inches from his face is a fist.

"Wonderful idea, Max, but poor execution." The man rises. "I could practically hear you all around me."

"Again?" Max snaps his fingers. "Man, I could've sworn I was quiet this time!"

"Well, with all these leaves around, someone's bound to be heard."

"You do have a point." He stands, dusting the dirt off his tan shorts and purple shirt with ripped sleeves. "But, Dad, didn't you say I have to adapt to my surroundings no matter what?"

His dad nods. "I did, and you will! It takes time and patience, but with enough of those, you can withstand even the worst of situa —"

Max's body gives a bright flash, and all that's left is a small puff of smoke. "Huh?" His dad whips around. "Max?"

 _BLAM!_

A heel buries into his ribs, knocking him down. Purple sneakers conjure out of thin air above his head. He looks up at the boy, who laughs while folding his arms.

"Ha-ha-ha! I gotcha' that time, didn't I?"

Pushing himself up, he laughs with him. "Good to see your short-distance teleportation still works! Well done!" He dusts himself. "But you still have an awfully long way to go. As a future Huntsman, you - "

"'You must learn the ins and outs of your abilities in order to grow.'" Max slumps. "I know, Dad, I know! I've heard it all before!"

"And you'll hear it a thousand times more. You can't assume your Semblance is gonna get you out of everything. We Huntsmen and Huntresses never stop growing. I know I won't, despite my age. Besides, what would your family think if they saw you make a complete fool of yourself on the battlefield?"

Max shuffles his feet. "I guess you're right."

His dad's eyebrows draw together at the broken look in his ocean blue eyes. "I'll tell you what…" He stretches. "Why don't we go one more round? And then, we can grab a bite to eat before you leave."

In a snap, the boy beams. "Sure."

And so, they settle into positions before finishing the last of their training.

~oOo~

The sun lights the grounds of the isolated kingdom of Vacuo. The usually-harsh breeze on this day relieves the dry, sandy area. However, a breeze is nothing compared to what its inhabitants go through time and time again. With its lack of authority and adaptation, danger is bound to happen. Only the toughest of warriors live in these parts, for a little birdie once said, "If you can survive here, then you are welcome here."

Ten minutes after training, dust covers Max's and his dad's shoes as they journey in to the only lawful parts of Vacuo. Strong settlements stand in their every direction. Humans and Faunus alike join together in harmony, eating and drinking to their hearts' content.

The two stop at a well-known place, not too far from the kingdom's academy Shade. Sadness clouds their faces at the tall building.

"Well," says Max, "I guess this is the last time I'll ever see this place. So many memories were made here. It seems like it was only yesterday when we first started training."

"True…" His dad pats him on the back. "But you're moving on to bigger, better things. You should be happy."

He nods. "Yeah…I should."

They sigh. Seconds of silence later…

"Last one to the back room is a giant Nevermore!" And on that note, his dad bolts inside.

Max calls out to him with a giggle. He follows after, taking extra care not to bump into any waiters around him. Using his Semblance, he tries to catch up.

"Excuse me! Whoops! Sorry! Watch out!"

Customers gasp and scream at the sudden sight of him weaving through the crowd, disappearing and reappearing at random spots. He eyes a taller figure dashing into the darkness of the back room.

"A-ha!" He zooms through an empty space and into the room. "Okay, Dad! Looks like you win again!" He looks around. "Dad?" The door shuts, shrouding him in pitch black. "Hey! Why is it so dark in here?"

"Surprise!"

The lights come on, and streams of confetti fall around him. His heart almost stops as, in front of him, his dad, a petite woman, a younger boy, a girl, and an elderly lady cheer.

"Wh-what's all this?" he asks, eyeing the purple, black, and blue balloons at each corner.

"What do you think this is? It's a party, silly!" The little girl runs to him. "It's for getting into a Huntsman academy!"

"The family and I decided to give you a little celebration!" His dad walks to his side.

"Aww, really?" His cheeks turn pink. "You guys shouldn't have!"

The petite woman, Max's mom, clasps her hands. "Well, it's the least we can do for your last day here!"

"I even dyed my hair for you! Do you like it?" The girl twirls, letting her long, purple locs fly.

Max gives a half-hearted smile. "I love it, Sis! As a matter of fact…" He studies everyone else. They all have the same-colored hair, save for his dad. "I love all of –" A familiar scent interrupts him. "Is that pizza I smell?"

The elderly woman, who happens to be the restaurant's owner, waves her hand to a table behind her. "What else could it be?" Sitting on a large pan is the pepperoni-spotted delicacy, big enough for the whole party and then some.

His mouth watering, Max zooms to the table and grabs a slice. "Oh, come on! I can't be the only one who's hungry! Dig in!"

And with that, everyone hurries for their own slice. Once settled, they giggle, drink, and eat much like the other customers outside the room.

The younger boy turns to him. "So, Max, now that you've gotten into an academy, we've gotta start scheduling our visits!"

Max gulps. "Visits?"

"Yeah, you, me, and our sister! So we can spend more time. We know you're gonna be busy with work at Shade, so we want to make it worth your while! Maybe go to the movies or something! I hear they have a huge theater!"

He shies away. "Heh…right." He takes another bite to make himself feel better.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, man…he didn't tell you…" Their dad butts in.

"Tell me what?"

"Max…isn't enrolling in Shade Academy. He's headed to Beacon."

His brother almost chokes. "Beacon?" Glancing from one of them to the other, he yells, "Why didn't you say something before? I was so looking forward to seeing you in between days at Shade! Now I won't see you at all!"

"I was going to, but…I wasn't sure how you'd handle it, and I kinda lost track of time," says Max, scratching his head. "But on the bright side, there's always summer and winter break. I can always come back and spend a whole two months with you and the others!"

"Are you kidding me? That's like over a half a year away! What are we gonna do until then?"

"We can always talk to each other on our Scrolls. The moment you get one on your birthday, you can call me almost anytime. Oops!" He slaps a hand over his mouth.

"Argh! Way to spill the beans, Max!" Their dad throws his head back.

His brother's pupils dilate. "No way! I'm getting a Scroll in a few weeks? Awesome! Thanks, Dad!"

"Great. Now he'll never shut up about it."

"I can't believe it…I'm getting a Scroll! This is gonna be amazing! We can play games online, get on social media, and…" He gasps. "We can even video chat! I can't wait!"

"Well, you'll have to. Your birthday is a bit far off." Their dad takes a few sips. "Speaking of far off…" He juts his head to a corner. "How long has that stranger been sitting there?"

The gang turns, and sure enough, there's a man in a dark jacket at a small table in a corner, lying down and running a hand over his scruffy face.

"Ah, long as he's not bothering anyone, it's cool." Max waves him off.

The owner inches closer to him. "So, Maximum, are you ready for the school life?"

"He sure is." His dad beams. "Although, he could work on his defensive strategies…and his offense…and his focusing…and not rely on his special abilities so much —"

"Hey! I thought you said I was ready!" Max shouts.

The owner cackles. "Well, I've seen him in action, and I agree with him. Quick-footed and pretty slick in a fight…he sure is somethin' else."

His mom smiles at his dad. "They're right, Dearie. I even have a nice recording right on my Scroll. Take a look!" She reaches around her chair for her purse. Nothing touches her hand. "Where's my purse?" She turns. "It was here the whole time!" Everyone looks around as his mom says, "Come to think of it. That guy's gone, too!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Max catches a glimpse of red flash by. "Hey! He's got it!" He bolts out of the room as everyone else calls his name.

Much like when he entered, he bumps into a few people on the way out, using his Semblance. "My bad! Oops! Comin' through!"

Once he's at the entrance, he shifts in every direction. Before long, blue eyes spot the swinging purse heading toward the sand hills. His feet kick up dust as he unsheathes Twelve Nights, his dual dragon claw crescent knives.

Meanwhile, the thief has just climbed a hill when Max appears right in front of him. "What the…" His gruff voice breaks as he skids to a stop.

"Hey, man! Give that back!" The boy glowers at him.

"Not a chance, kid!" The thief draws his revolver and fires.

Max twirls one of his knives, causing the bullets to hit only blades. The thief grimaces as he stuffs the purse away. He flies forward, unsheathing a makeshift machete. They get caught in clashes of steel, all while trying not to slide in the sand.

Max jerks his head away from the swing of a firearm. He leg sweeps and blocks more bullets. He teleports, and just before he can tackle him from behind, the sand hill gives in. They both roll downward. He leaps back up and charges, his forehead scrunching. The thief jumps up in the nick of time, and their steel weapons meet once more.

Max ducks another swing and gets whacked in the nose like earlier. He rubs, snarling. _Again?_ The distraction proves fatal again as he is pelted.

The thief flashes a toothy grin as he presses his advantage. Sending one more blow, he launches his opponent a few yards into the ground. He inches closer, almost towering over him.

Max spits a copper-like taste out of his mouth. _Gods, is this what I have to look forward to in the academy?_ He props himself on one arm. _Maybe Dad was right. Maybe I'm not ready. I've tried improvising and using my Semblance…and it looks like I'm running out 'cause of training. What else is there?_ Suddenly, he lights up. _That's it!_ A hand yanks him by the collar.

Raising him at eye level, the thief bellows, "You got a whole lotta' guts to take me on, kid!" He points the barrel to his forehead, the strong, icy feel almost piercing his skin. "And fer that, I'll let ya speak yer piece…" He cocks the gun. "Before I blow ya to pieces!"

"All right then, here's my piece…" Max gives a lopsided grin and flings his hand right in his face. "Surprise!" He falls to the ground as the thief howls, rubbing his sand-filled eyes.

Crescent knives swing through the air, slashing and tearing at the man's clothing. He blocks with no success; his eyes water and burn. Blood flies from his nose and mouth. At this moment, he has no choice but to swing and shoot blindly.

It works a bit, letting him figure out where his target stands. He swings forward, but the boy jumps back with a plan.

Twirling his weapons quickly, Max kicks up sand.

With his eyes finally clear enough to see, the thief finds himself surrounded by clouds of dust. _All right. Where'd he go, now?_ Sand crunches to one side, then another. He takes a quick look, and that's all that's needed.

A long chain shoots from behind, wrapping around his torso. Its owner flies from out of the clouds and cracks his jaw with a hard kick. His knives conforming into dual kusarigama, Max relishes in pelting his opponent.

It all goes well, until the thief interjects with a heel to the stomach. Machete meets knives one more time, weight pushes between the two as their feet sink deeper. Sweat clings to both of their necks.

Using the same trick his dad pulled, Max sidesteps. A leg sweep follows, and the thief falls face-first, losing his weapons. He rolls onto his back; dual blades stop right at his throat.

Max warns him once more. "Give it up, man! It's over!"

"Maybe for you, but I still have some tricks up my sleeve!" A small knife slides out of the thief's jacket sleeve and strikes his target's cheek.

Max cries out and is knocked back. He pulls onto the sleeve as the thief jumps up. The jacket flies off and into his face. A sickening crunch follows, and a purple sheen flashes all over him. Clutching his torso and wincing at the touch of his wound, he looks onward as the thief flees from the scene. He tries to chase after him, but he staggers onto his hands and knees from a low Aura.

He slams a fist into the dirt. "He got away!"

"Max!" a low voice calls out. Rushing toward him is his dad with the rest of the gang following close behind. "Please…don't ever take off like that again. You had us all worried."

"What happened?" asks his sister.

"I couldn't stop him." Max sighs, standing. "He got me before I could finish him off."

The owner rests a hand under her chin. "You're lucky he didn't kill you. For all we know, he could've been one of those bandits."

All eyes dart to her.

His mom gasps. "You mean the ones from Anima?"

"We've seen quite a few of them lately. Gods know what they're here for."

The owner rambles about on the bandits' recent shenanigans while, unbeknownst to the others, Max listens with his fists tightening and his teeth baring. Before he gets any more furious, a hand grasps his shoulder. He turns to his dad's warm, compassionate stare. Taking a deep breath, he returns a half-smile before getting closer to his mom.

"From the looks of things, it will only be a matter of time before they come and ransack the whole desert," the owner concludes.

Dread crosses the younger siblings as they run behind their parents for cover.

"That's too bad. Now I really wish I could've stopped that guy. But on the bright side…" Max reaches behind him and pulls out a familiar red item. "Ta-da!"

Everyone gasps.

"My purse! How did you…" His mom trails off.

"I have my ways!" He gleams, only for a pair of small, yet strong, arms to crush him.

"Oh, thank you, Max!"

The owner shakes her head. "Like I said, that boy is somethin' else!"

"He sure is!" His dad crosses his arms.

Max unruffles his clothing before the voice of the elderly woman proclaims, "How about we go back and finish that party? I'll patch you up and have the boys whip up a large special to-go! My treat!"

The ocean blue in his eyes shimmers. "Really? You'll do that?"

"Of course! This is your day, after all! Besides, you deserve a reward for what just happened!" She pats him as they walk back to the restaurant.

After forty-five minutes of partying, the gang set out to see him leave. Strangers everywhere say their goodbyes to their beloved while, from the open hatch of a giant airship, he watches his family wave at him.

"Good luck, Max," yells the owner.

"We're gonna miss you," his sister calls out.

"Don't forget to write," his brother shouts.

Max waves back. "I won't!"

"Knock 'em dead, son!" His dad pumps a fist in the air.

"Goodbye, Max," his mom yells with her cupped hands around her mouth. She, then, turns to husband and whispers, "Honey…do you think he'll be able to control himself in the future? He seems to be taking this a little too well."

His smile starts to fade. "I sure hope so. The boy's quite a trooper after everything he's been through."

She nods. "He's come a long way…the poor thing."

"You're right…" He wraps an arm around her. "Only the gods can help him from here on out."

They watch as the airship lifts, kicking off dust. Hope and worry cloud them as it flies off with the hatch coming to a close.


	4. Chapter N

" _Seeds of doubt cannot be planted in a garden of resolve, for those who know the roots of purpose will find another way to bloom."_

Anima, a continent settled on the eastern coast of Remnant, is home to many swamps, cliff-carving winds, and most of all, its flower-themed settlements. Because of its diverse structure and ancient, religious palaces, it's deemed as one of the most exotic places around. However, this story will focus on one settlement, one that houses a family of five in the village of Shion.

Sitting inside a small cottage is a man who goes by the name of Shobu Noto. With a cup clenched in hand, his green eyes glint at the dual weapons mounted on the living room wall, war fans that his sister once wielded. They shine a deep pink, like the meaning of his last name, and daggers of iron protrude from within their folds. Memories of their past journeys race through his mind, from the city of Kuchinashi to the perilous Lake Matsu. He heaves a long sigh, taking a look at the wrinkly, pale reflection in his tea.

"Honey, are you thinking about those tessens again?" a soft voice asks.

Shobu turns his head, giving a smile. Gracing his presence is a short, equally-pale woman, her brown and silver locs flowing down her back. "Why, of course! If you went through what I went through, you would be sitting here yourself."

The woman plants herself beside him and takes his hand. "She must have been a wonderful partner."

"That she was, Sakuraso, that she was."

"And to think, our youngest will become the spitting image of her."

"Indeed." He chuckles. "The gods must think of us as mere jokes."

"I think of it as a blessing." Sakuraso juts her head to look out a window behind them. "Just look at how much she's grown."

Right outside, a young pink-haired girl ducks from the swing of a bo staff. Her hands gripping tightly on her own, she swings back at a white-haired girl around the same age. Their staves whack against each other. Both are at the tops of their games, huffing and sweating. One clash later, the pink-haired girl twirls; their weapons entangle. Creeping behind, she gives a hard blow to the back and presses her luck, throwing more hits.

As she eases herself, she begins the final blow, but her opponent parries and whales on her. One more swing and she's flat on her back, staff out of reach. With a grunt, she tries to get back up. Her opponent's staff pins her down, signifying her loss.

"Nice one, Kiku! You almost had me!" the white-haired girl chimes, her hand out.

Kiku takes it and pulls herself up as she responds in a soft voice, "Thanks, Shira! You weren't too shabby yourself!"

"At this rate, we'll be Huntresses in no time! I can't wait to see the look on our parents' faces! They're gonna freak!" Her friend jumps around, unable to contain her excitement. She squeals while Kiku scratches the back of her head.

"Heh-heh…right."

"What's wrong?" Shira stops. "Don't tell me you haven't told your parents about wanting to be a Huntress yet…"

"I…no…" Kiku sighs. "I want to. But what if they say no?"

"What if they don't say no? You'll never know if you never try."

Kiku takes a moment. Her friend's right _;_ she can't keep it a secret any longer. It's possible they'll figure it out sooner or later. But—knowing them—she can't just go in and say it in front of them. She'll have to segue into it. "All right. I'll do it. I just need to gather my thoughts…it's gonna take a while."

"Then, why don't we go for a walk? Some of your best ideas come from that."

"Great idea!" She enters her house. "Mama! Papa! Shira and I are heading up the trail!"

"Okay, dear, but don't go past the campsite," her mother warns.

She nods.

Thirty minutes pass as the bitter sweetness of cherry blossoms spreads everywhere, pink petals covering the long stone pavement. Fences line up beside the girls as branches cross each other from above, almost as if they are knights making way for royalty.

"So, Kikuno…" Shira changes her voice, giving her best impression of the girl's father. "Why should I let you enroll into a Huntsman Academy?"

"Well…" Kiku taps her chin. "I think it would—"

"You think?"

"Oh…" She bites her lip, choosing the right words. "I believe it would be a great opportunity for me to explore, make a well-earned living, and fight for a good cause. Not a lot of people in Shion have the chance to get out there, so a representative is in dire need. With the skill and experience I've gained over time, I'm sure I'm ready for the school life!"

Shira nods, a hand under her chin. "Are you? And what of the dangers that go on, such as the Grimm? Your life will be at risk, you know."

"While that is true, there are more people that matter than one person alone. If no one is there fighting for our lives, then what will we have in the end?"

A fake, sad expression dawns on her friend's face. "You do have a point. If you do leave, I'll be oh-so worried about my little girl…"

"I understand." Kiku smiles. "And I promise every day, when I have a break, I will call you to let you know how I'm doing. And if I can't reach you, I'll have Shira to do it instead. We'll take good care of each other."

"You seem to have all of this planned out…very well. It's all right with me!" Shira smiles back.

Kiku pumps a fist in the air. "Yes! Phew! I thought I'd never get through that!"

Her friend wraps an arm around her, her voice back to normal. "See? I told you, you're ready for this! And you were worried for nothing! You doubt yourself too much!"

"I know, but only because it feels pretty scary. I've never been able to get through to my papa before."

"I understand exactly how you feel." Shira gazes at the clouds as her upbeat expression falters. "When I told my dad I wanted to be a Huntress, I was terrified. My knees were shaking, I was sweaty, and I wanted to cry my eyes out." As quick as the expression faltered, it returns. "But, luckily, he was cool with it in the end! And I'm sure yours will be, too!"

"I hope so, you know how much of a stickler he can be sometimes."

"Yeah, but what father isn't?"

They giggle for a minute or two before spotting a group of tents and smoldering campfires ahead.

"What? We reached the campsite already?" Shira slouches. "Is it me, or do our walks get shorter the older we get?"

"I guess, with all the practicing we've done, time flew right by us."

"Man, I was enjoying this walk…I'm not ready to go back!"

"I mean, there isn't any other way for us to go."

A moment of silence passes, then violet eyes begin to glimmer. "Or is there?"

"Is there?" Kiku whips to her. "Wait, you're not thinking we should—"

"Go past the campsite?"

She blanks. "Why?"

Her friend lifts her shoulders. "Why not?"

"Shira, Mama said we shouldn't! There's bound to be danger up ahead!"

"Oh, come on! This is the perfect time to experience a small taste of adrenaline! Besides, we're training to be Huntresses! We're gonna run into danger anyway!"

"Yes, but still…" She waves an arm. "We don't know what's out there!"

"That's the best part about adventure, but hey, that's you, if you're staying. I'm gonna go check it out!" And with that, she takes off. "See ya!"

Kiku gasps. "Shira, wait! Not by yourself!" She chases after, as quickly as her slender legs allow. No matter how fast she goes, however, the white-haired girl ends up being a tad faster, and she almost falls behind.

Forty-five seconds later, a cave leading to a large forest comes into view. Her face blanks as she slows to a stop right at the entrance, her legs becoming like jelly. Maybe it's best if she turns back. Who knows what lies ahead of this? She takes a few steps away and…

"Whoa!" a voice shouts.

She flinches, calling the girl's name, and dashes inside. Twigs crunch underneath her feet, unspeakable thoughts racing through her head. What if she doesn't make it in time? Will she make it? Despite fear nearly slowing her down again, she keeps moving. Moments later, a lighted open area is in sight, and standing there, gazing off in the distance, is her childhood friend. Kiku sighs, her heartbeat slowing down. "There you are! You can't take off like that! What were you thinking?"

There's no response.

"Shira?" She moves up to get her attention. But her mouth almost drops at the overwhelming display far up ahead. Mountains, waterfalls, and so many ancient buildings stretch far and wide. From even farther, a bird flies past the sun. "Wow…it's so beautiful! Who would try to hide this from us?"

"I don't know…" Shira responds. "Maybe they were rich." Suddenly, she chimes. "Let's go further!"

Kiku jerks back at the idea. "What? No, this is far enough! What if someone who knows our families shows up and finds us? We'll be grounded for life! My papa will kill me!" She places her hands on her head in worry and frustration.

" _If_ they find us," Shira corrects her, wagging her finger. "You gotta learn to take risks, Kiku. You can't worry yourself all the time."

Kiku tries to feign just what the girl mentioned. "I-I'm not worried. I'm concerned." Little do they know, the bird from afar starts flying toward them, circling the open area.

Shira grins. "Yeah, right, you are! I can see you blushing and sweating!"

Her faces starts to redden. "I'm sweating because you ran off back at the campsite, which, by now, we should be going to!" Their conversation grows.

"Well, I did say you didn't have to follow me, right?" Now, Shira's face turns a small tinge of red. The bird flies a little closer.

"And lose my best friend?" Kiku shakes her head. "I would never! I love you too much to let it happen!"

Those words freeze Shira. Hanging her head, she mutters, "I hate it when you pull that card…" She then huffs. "Fine. Let's go." Relief washes over Kiku as they turn back. "I just wanted a new adventure. There's no future back home."

"True, but we'll have plenty of them when we get into an acade—" Suddenly, the light of the open area darkens. The girls look at each other, then around the area.

"Hey…what happened to the sun?"

They lift their heads and let out large shrieks. Both faces pale as the large, black, mask-wearing avian swoops down, its beak wide open…

 _BOOM!_

The bird crashes into a few tall trees, squawking. Kiku and Shira turn to the direction of the attack in utter shock.

Chuckling, a man stands, wielding a musket in hand.

A snake-skinned Faunus follows beside him. He draws his sword, the butt of its curved hilt conforming into a grappling hook.

The bird gets up and lets out an angry shriek. It flies toward them with its beak open once more.

The men split up, rolling behind the trees. The creature makes a U-turn to where the girls watch. Their arms wrap around each other as it gets closer. The grappling hook shoots from one side to the other and yanks. The rope gets caught in the bird's mouth, pulling the two Huntsmen upward.

They swing, the rope wrapping around its neck. However, this causes some trouble as the Faunus thrashes around in the air. They almost bump into each other. Just in time, a black Aura surrounds the musket-wielder; his weight increases and pulls them all down.

While falling, they wrap the grappling hook around large-enough trees. The helpless bird shrieks once more, trying to free itself.

The snake-skinned man detaches the hook from his sword. At the same time, the musket-wielder transforms his weapon into a butcher's knife. They charge toward the creature and leap, bringing their blades down. Its head lops and rolls toward Kiku and Shira before dissolving into black particles.

"Phew! That was close!" The musket-wielding Huntsman wipes his forehead as they both make their way toward the girls.

"Yeah, it's a good thing we were nearby when we heard you scream. You two all right?" the snake Faunus asks. Their mouths still open, the girls slowly nod. "That's good. Well, we've gotta go. We're on our way to the palace for a meeting, and we're running a little late."

"You be careful out here!" the musket-wielder finishes. Then, they both wave and run off, not giving the girls a chance to thank them and leaving them to stare at each other.

That night, Kiku sits in her bed, reading. A small chime-like noise emits from her Scroll, and she answers. "Hello?"

Before she can even finish the word…

"Oh, my gods, that was amazing! Did you see how big that thing was? Did you feel that adrenaline?" The cheery voice of Shira bursts from the speaker. She rambles on about their recent adventure while Kiku listens and giggles. "That's exactly the kind of action I want to get in on!"

"It did look pretty cool for a monster!" she replies. "We'll definitely experience something like that again!"

"I can hardly wait! Can August get here any faster?"

She giggles again. "It's not that far. We'll get there!" She yawns. "I have to go, Shira. I'll talk to you later."

They say their goodnights and hang up. Kiku puts her book and Scroll away. The moment her head hits her pillow, sleep takes over and her adventure replays in her dreams.

~oOo~

Weeks pass after the surprising turn of events. Outside her house, Kiku slowly twirls a bo staff with great effort and great trouble. For the umpteenth time, she starts to get the hang of it, her tongue hanging from the side of her mouth. As she prepares to catch it and attempt another, a shrill noise causes her to flinch and drop it.

Footsteps rush from inside the neighboring house. Her brows rise as her childhood friend heads toward her. "Shira! Is everything okay?" she asks.

"Oh, em, gee! Kiku! You won't believe…" Shira's gaze falls on the weapon on the ground, hands behind her back. "Still having a hard time with that?"

Kiku picks it back up and continues twirling. "A little, but I've almost got it."

"You know, you can change weapons. You don't have to use a bo staff. My dad's got so many to choose from. Maybe try something more practical, like those war fans in your living room!"

A look of worry crosses Kiku's face. "I can't take those. They're a family heirloom, Papa's most prized possession."

Shira looks at her from head to toe. "You sure about that?" She receives a small glare, prompting her to change her response quickly. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Anyway…" She bounces on her toes. "You won't believe what happened!" The curl of her lips and gleam in her eyes tell Kiku the news is something worth squealing about.

She lights up. "What? What? Tell me!"

Shira pauses for dramatic effect. She inhales slowly before shoving a sheet of paper in her face and blurting, "I got accepted into Haven Academy!"

As expected, Kiku squeals. The two bounce in a circle, holding hands and giggling. She grasps her friend's shoulders. "I'm so proud of you! When are you moving?"

"In a few days! Although I really wanted to go to Beacon, this is good enough for me! At least, I'm finally getting out of the house!"

"I know, right?"

"So…" Shira urges. "What about you? Where's your acceptance letter? What did your parents say?"

Kiku freezes.

No words come out. Her friend already knows the answer. "Still haven't told them yet, I see?"

"W-well, I was going to…but my mind's been on our last adventure and…I-I sorta forgot about it…"

An exasperated sigh comes out. "Kiku…" She crosses her arms. "Look, you wanna be a Huntress or not?"

Kiku hesitates. "Yes…"

"You don't sound like you do."

"I do…I…over the weeks, I lost the willpower. I forgot our pep talk from last—"

"Forget about last time! That was then! We're not pretending anymore, Kiku! This is real life, _your_ life!" Now, Shira grasps her shoulders. "You and I have trained since we were kids, and look how far you've come! You can't sit around and let fear and loss of determination get you down now! It's time to take matters into your own hands!" She waves an arm toward the Noto family's house. "Look at your sisters…if they can do well in Shion, then wait until they see what the baby of the family can do outside of it!"

Kiku bows her head, pulling on one of her sleeves. "Gee! When you put it that way…"

Shira places her hand on Kiku's cheek and lifts Kiku's head to face her. "You've got this, Kiku. You always did, and if you get nothing out of this conversation, then just know you have the power to do anything. You just have to believe it."

She thinks for a moment, slightly upset. "You're right. I should've told them in the first place."

"It's not too late, Kiku. You can still do it."

She turns to her house. The look on her face almost drops at the sight of her parents' silhouettes in the window, laughing and drinking tea at a kotatsu table. She regains her composure in a snap.

"All right, I will."

Turning on her heels, Kiku marches to the house and stops at the door. She glances to her friend, who gives her a thumbs-up. She takes her time to enter and waits for her parents' attention in front of them. _They're in a good mood,_ she thinks. _All right…that's great. Now, to keep it that way._

Right when they finish their jolly moment, they spot her, in slight shock.

"Ah, Kikuno, would you care to join us for tea?" asks Shobu.

"N-no, thank you. I'm fine. Um…" She carefully chooses her words, her arms moving behind her back and her feet shuffling. "There's something I've wanted to tell you…"

The couple lifts their chins a bit, concerned.

"What of?" Sakuraso responds.

"Well, it's about the future…mine, specifically. I know how proud you two are of Kikyo and Kosmosu with their careers…" Her eyes travel everywhere except to them. "And I'd really love to follow in their footsteps. It would be an honor if I could succeed as well as they have."

Time passes as they stare. Finally, their mouths form a slight curl. "Why, Kikuno, of course!"

Like them, she stares. A gleam shimmers all over her face. "Really?"

Shobu wraps an arm around her. "Yes, we are aware of your desire to live a successful life. We fully support your decision. Why, this day has gotten better!" He raises his cup toward his wife. "Can't you see it, darling? All three of our daughters making it big in Shion? We already have a wonderful actress and a model in the house! It's only a matter of time before she joins them!"

"I'm glad you feel that way!" Their daughter relaxes. "I can't wait to see the look on your faces when I get into a Huntsmen academy!" They freeze. "I will definitely make you proud!"

Shobu coughs, almost spurting his tea. "Pardon? Did I hear correct? A _Huntsmen academy_?"

"Yes, sir! I want to attend one someday!"

"And…for what, may I ask?"

"Well, I…I…" Kiku takes a deep breath and finally announces, "Mama, Papa? I want to be a Huntress."

Her parents shift their eyes to each other and back. More time passes. Unexpectedly for the girl, they burst into laughter. The gleam on her face fades as the balding man replies, "We are sorry for laughing, but it's impossible for you to become a Huntress. You are far too delicate, my dear."

"Besides, it's safer in the kingdom, where people like you belong," her mother adds.

The girl's heart pangs. Unable to believe what she's hearing, she stammers, "B-but Shira and I have trained for so long, and she's just been accepted into one. I was thinking we could go together and be on the same team. We'll take care of each other!"

"And what if you don't end up on the same team? The teacher won't let you pick your own partner. There's a certain strategy they use for it."

She turns to her mother, hope clearly showing in her voice. She comes up with a quick plan. "We could make our own strategy that guarantees us getting together! They'll never see it coming!"

Shobu laughs again and gets on one knee. "Sweetie, being a Huntress is not all about teaming up and fighting monsters. This is a dangerous offer. One wrong move could cost you your life, and I don't want anything to happen to my little girl —"

"But I'm not little anymore!" Kiku tries her best not to get upset. She quickly comes up with a way to prove herself, although that proves to be a big mistake. "I can take care of myself! Ask Shira! She'll vouch for me! She'll tell you about our many adventures, like the sparring matches we've had, or that Nevermore past the campsite—oops!" Her hand slaps over her mouth, but she's too late.

Shobu jumps to his feet, and, nearly, out of his skin. "What?" he shouts. She tries to explain herself, but he interrupts. "I thought we warned you not to go past that place! You know it's dangerous!"

"I-I tried not to, but Shira…and the Huntsmen! They were there. They saved us —"

"What if they hadn't come?" He throws his hands up. "What then?"

"We wouldn't have stayed long! You know we would've hurried back!"

"And if you didn't make it in time?" Now, he paces, flailing his arms. "Or maybe you could've brought some unwanted guests to the village? You'll have had all of Shion running scared, and you know how much the Grimm love negativity!"

"True, but we didn't. The monster's gone, and that's all that matters! At least, there aren't many others nearby!"

"You don't know that!" Shobu gives a sharp turn toward her. "Just because things are peaceful now doesn't mean monsters aren't still lurking. Look at Vale!" He waves an arm back. "Its citizens may, for the most part, be free from Grimm, but they still have to deal with that fancy-looking criminal! Imagine what all of Anima may be dealing with!"

Kiku retorts exasperatedly, "That's why I want to go to an academy, to prevent things of that sort!" She points to herself. "Papa, I'm only one person. We can't sacrifice the world to such ruin because of one person…"

He lays a hand on her shoulder. "You aren't one person. You are my daughter, and I will not have you subjected to such utter nonsense! You are not to become one of those… _barbarians_."

Her vision begins to blur. "Please…give me a chance. I promise I'll make you proud —"

"Kikuno." Shobu sneers. "Let…it…go."

She slumps. "Yes, sir." Then, she exits the house the same way she entered.

"Ha, that girl!" Her father sits back down and drinks the rest of his tea to calm himself while his wife shakes her head.

The moment Kiku's outside, she's met with a bouncing Shira.

"So? How'd it go? What did they say?" the girl asks as urgently as before.

"I…" She sniffles. "I can't go."

The bouncing slows to a halt. "What? But why?"

"They said I was 'too delicate to go' and people like me are 'better off staying in Shion.'"

Shira scoffs. "No way! You're not delicate! You're just shy! I've seen you fight, and, of all people, you're the most graceful!"

The sniffling ceases. "You really think so?"

Shira places a hand over her heart. "Of course, and, if I'm lying, may a Nevermore swoop down and gobble me up right now!" She searches overhead to make sure the coast is clear. Then she grins and gives a thumbs-up. This cheers her friend up, yet only for a moment.

"But…" Kiku heaves and sits on the steps of her house. "What am I gonna do now? You're leaving pretty soon, and I'll be stuck here!"

"You can always visit the campus." Her friend plops beside her. "I'm sure the staff will let you in for that!"

"Yeah, but you know how protective my papa is. He'd probably freak if he saw me near a place like Haven."

"That's true…I guess you can't go after all."

"Not unless he changes his mind."

"Which I highly doubt will happen." Shira huffs.

"I know, right? Kikyo and Kosmosu get to go out and do things, but when I ask, he's quick to deny it." She places her head in her hands, elbows on her knees. "I guess it's part of being the youngest in the family. Not that I don't like it, but I can't stand being sheltered for so long!"

Both girls stare at the ground in long silence until…

"Shira! It's time for dinner!" a gruff male voice calls from not too far off.

"I have to go. And I should probably start packing soon." Shira stands.

"Yeah, it's getting late anyway. I'm gonna miss you so much, Shira."

"I'm gonna miss you, too." They give each other a long embrace before parting ways.

Later, past midnight, wide awake in her bed, Kiku stares at the ceiling, focusing on those shattered dreams. Her chest heaves, and her pillow is slightly moist from the shedding tears. Like a broken record, her parents' words replay in her mind.

"It's impossible…"

"People like you…"

"You are far too delicate…"

 _Delicate_. That word has followed her since her days as a child. People all around her home walk by, and she would cringe every time it came. With the blessings and curses it caused, she knew it would play a large role in her future. It proved itself today in the worst way possible. Even the thought of it makes her heart pang even more.

She squirms onto her side to reach for a tissue box sitting on a nightstand. Her sight immediately falls on a picture of her and her best friend waving.

Shira Yuri. One of the blessings that came with being…well, _that_ word. A complete opposite, she is. Who would've guessed that she'd come to know Kiku for so many years? And with no mind paid to her flaws? She's amazing in ways the pink-haired girl isn't. She's outgoing, easy to get along with, very approachable, and not… _that_.

Kiku smiles, grateful for the girl's personality rubbing off on her, yet…she wants so much more than that. That drive Shira always wears with pride, her ways of inspiration…she makes it look so easy. In fact, hearing her voice is enough for a brief pick-me-up.

"Know that you have the power to do anything. You just have to believe it."

And, right then, Kiku blanks. _Believe…_ That's it. That's what makes her so strong, what made her parents stop her in the first place. They don't believe she can do this. And yet she can't figure out why. She shakes her head. _It doesn't matter,_ she thinks, frowning. _I'm not gonna let it get to me. Not anymore._ With those words in mind, she jumps out of bed and opens her closet.

"Shira said it's not too late. I'm gonna make sure it isn't," she tells herself.

She searches for a backpack and stuffs all her clothes and her picture inside. She creeps her way to the living room and heads for the door. Suddenly, the corner of her eye catches a familiar sparkle on the wall: the tessens shimmering in the moonlight. Her lips purse.

After stepping outside, she carefully slides the door closed and stuffs the family heirloom in her belt. She gazes at the open path ahead.

"You've got this, Kiku." Shira's voice plays once more.

Giving a slow, deep breath, Kiku smiles, tightens her grip on the straps of her backpack, and sets out into the night.

~oOo~

The next morning, Shobu lies in bed. His wife comfortably rests on top of him, relishing in his slow breathing. She draws circles on his chest with her finger, a content expression on her face, before his voice rumbles in her ear.

"Honey, do…" He hesitates. "Do you think we were hard on dear Kikuno yesterday?"

She props her chin up to face him. "Honestly, I don't think so. Quick to react, maybe, but not hard." Her husband moves, making them both sit up. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing. She just…" He exhales. "She seemed distraught, more than that, actually, when we shunned her. And, she went past the campsite…and was almost killed." The last few words become a whisper. He rubs the big, bald spot on his head. "Darling, that alone…"

Sakuraso lays a hand on his lap. "Brings back bad memories, doesn't it? Maybe it's best if you talk to her and finally tell her what's on your mind. After all, you were one of those _barbarians_ yourself." Shobu starts to get up. "But not until after breakfast. We don't want to start the day on an empty stomach."

"I suppose you're right." He stretches. "I'll go wake her." Shobu makes his way to Kiku's room and opens the door quietly. "Kikuno. Wake up, dear. Your mother's about to make break —" He trails off, staring at the untidy, empty bed. He checks under it. No luck. He looks in the closet. Nothing. He pales, searching frantically in every nook and cranny of every room he can think of, save for the rooms of his older daughters. His heart races. "Oh, no…"

In the kitchen, Sakuraso has everything set out to cook. Quick footsteps and heavy breathing approach from behind. She whips her head. "Shobu?"

He stops to catch his breath before telling her, "She's not here. I even checked the bathrooms."

His wife freezes, dropping her spoon. She regains her composure and dashes past him. "Call Sa. I'll get the girls."

Pulling out his Scroll, he dials a number, his hands shaking.

The gruff voice from earlier answers. "Hello?"

"Yuri!" he calls out.

"Ah, Shobu. Nice to hear from you again. I'm sure you heard about the acceptance letter —"

"No time for that! Listen. Is Kikuno with you or Shira?"

"No, I haven't seen her lately, and Shira's eating in the kitchen. Why? What's going on?" Shobu drops the Scroll as Sa calls out his name. Seconds pass; there's no response. "Hang on. I'll be there in a second," Sa concludes from the speaker before hanging up.

Multiple pairs of feet thump on the ground, snapping Shobu out of it. The rest of his family show themselves. The older girl, wearing pink hair, and the younger, brown-haired, step from behind their mother.

The latter daughter, Kosmosu, turns to the wall, pointing and shouting, "Papa, Auntie's tessens are missing!"

"Never mind the tessens!" he shouts back. "Have you two seen Kikuno?"

"No, sir," says Kikyo, the oldest. "We just woke up. Did you look—"

 _KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

Everyone turns to the door as Shobu answers. Shira and her muscly, white-haired father appear before him.

"Mr. Noto, I heard everything! Do you remember when you last saw her?" Shira asks.

He scratches his head, trying to remember. "Yesterday, when she was heading to bed. I checked everywhere I would normally see her at this time, and…I-I can't find her. She's nowhere to be found."

"You don't think she went around the village, do you?"

"I don't know. She wouldn't be out, not this early. Unless…" Shobu freezes. The worst thought possible crosses his mind. "Unless she did go…or worse, maybe she went back to the campsite?" He slowly backs away, his chest pounding more and more. "There's no telling what's out there! Maybe another Nevermore came, or…or some other type of monster! Maybe she's kidnapped or even…" One by one, everything piles on him. Soon, he's unable to bear it all, and he clutches his chest. "Oh, my little girl…" He starts leaning back.

Everyone gasps.

"Shobu!" Sa pushes past his daughter and catches him as he falls. "Get the police!" he yells at the rest of the man's family.

Sakuraso takes out her Scroll. Kikyo goes to find a fan, while Kosmosu pulls up a chair for her motionless father.

All Shira can do is clasp her hands over her mouth at the event. When she finally snaps out of it, she rushes outside, venturing around the small neighborhood and calling her friend's name.

Meanwhile, on an airship, Kiku stares out of a window. Just over the mountains, a large city slowly comes into view and in her direction. Her green eyes glimmer in shock and amazement. "Wow…" Her breath fogs the glass.

"It's really beautiful, isn't it?" a feminine voice comments casually.

The sudden comment makes her flinch. She turns to see a red-haired woman, a tad older than her. Kiku can't tell if it's true, but the aura she gives off tells her she's an expert at what she does. And her outfit! She'd recognize that material and design anywhere! Is she a Mistralian Huntress?

The woman's back rests against the glass, and her arms fold while she looks ahead at the overwhelming view. "Of course, it always is when you see it the first time in a day."

Kiku considers responding, even talking about where she's from, but she decides against it. A strained, guilty feeling wells within her.

"I guess Vale tends to have that sort of effect on people, but Atlas?" The woman chuckles. "Well, that's another story." Her gaze shifts to her, the color of desert sand in her eyes. "So, what brings you here?"

Kiku's temperature rises. Surely, she can't blurt out her argument with her parents and her running away from home. What would she think? What would anyone think? What good enough answer could there be? She takes a quick moment. Before the woman can interfere, she lights up, telling her, "I'm…I'm traveling." But it doesn't come out the way she wants it to.

The woman leans closer. "I'm sorry?"

"I'm…t-traveling." She tries to speak a little louder. Fortunately, as soft as her answer is, it is heard.

Like her, the woman lights up as well. "Oh! A traveler? You seem a little young to go out on your own. Then again, I was, too, so who am I to judge? That's awesome! Where are you headed to now?"

Now, Kiku's voice gets stuck. The pressure of having to come up with another answer on the spot really weighs her down, and the backpack isn't helping one bit. Her sight moves around for something that could be good enough for her to explain.

 _Come on, Kiku,_ she urges herself inwardly. _Think of something…quick!_

But before an answer comes to mind…

"Attention, passengers, we will begin landing shortly," an attendant blurts out.

"Oh, we're here! I gotta go. It was nice talking to you!" The woman waves before running off to the entrance.

Kiku exhales, relieved. Then she follows the small crowd as they make their way to the front. The airship lands with a small hiss and the hatch lowers. Everyone aboard exits and goes their separate ways as she stops in the middle of her destination. She searches around, taken aback by everything.

There's so much to explore here, but she can't stay for long. There's bound to be danger around these parts. She must get to somewhere safe, but where? As if to answer her question, a strange object glows near the corner of her eye. Turning overhead, she spots orbs glowing high in the sky. They're green ones, both big and small. And they're not too far off. Perfect! On that note, she straps her backpack even tighter and begins her adventure.

The gentle wind blows through. It feels nice, perfect for her to wear her short, pink, kimono, gloves, and black knee-length leggings. Since she's a good ways from the place, the black flats prove to be a smart choice as well. And, like her hometown, there are old structures everywhere she looks.

The thing that gets her, however, is the forest itself. Never has she ever seen trees, grass, and bushes all one color, aside from green. Not only is the dust-red environment a sight to behold, but something to touch as well.

She rubs the old, rough stone textures of the ruins. Nearby, small, cute animals lick at a red liquid oozing from the trunks. They scurry away as she approaches one and runs a finger along it. Its sticky feel and sweet smell give her the hint that this is the forest's tree sap. When a small drop lands on her tongue, she immediately falls in love with it. It tastes just as sweet, if not better.

So far, everything's okay. Being alone in a place like this does scare the girl, but she has to keep going on no matter what. She's off to become a Huntress; she'll have to at some point in her journey. And, with those orbs steadily glowing, things just might work out…hopefully. While this does make her afraid, it also excites her even more. Her chin rises; she let the adrenaline come down as she dashes freely into an open area. She feels unstoppable! However, that moment of excitement quickly fades at the sound of loud munching and scraping.

At a pretty good distance, a large, black, bearlike creature devours the sticky, red sap from a torn tree trunk. Kiku pales. _An Ursa! Oh, dear…_ Carefully, as to not disturb it, she slowly backs away. What she doesn't notice, however, is a long root on the ground behind her. Before she can even escape, she trips and falls back with a squeak.

The Ursa turns toward her, hearing the noise, and tosses the trunk away.

Kiku bolts up, dusts herself, and freezes at a low growl. The moment she notices the deep, red eyes peering at her, she emanates a strong sense of fear, in which it relishes. The snarling grows in excessive hunger. She fumbles for the tessens, and it lurches on all fours. Sharp, white teeth come straight for her.

Kiku dives when it's close enough. The large weapons finally unsheathe and fling open, surprising the monster. She continuously blocks the repeating attacks until it swipes forward. She ducks.

The monster swings downward, she leaps onto a branch. She bounces off toward it. She strikes its white, masklike armor, but there's no scratch.

This only earns a quick lunge toward her. She flips over it and slashes at the small, dangerous spikes down its back. Like before, nothing bruises.

Kiku scrunches her face. Beads of sweat form as she ponders her next move. With time clearly not on her side, she resorts to Shira's training.

Just as she did days ago, she lets the monster advance once more. They clash, claws and iron intertwine. Eventually, she twists both of their weapons. She rolls behind the Ursa and slashes its leg a few times.

It growls, hopping back to recover. Black liquid oozes out of its wound. It shakes its leg and lets out a huge roar. Kiku's green eyes widen. She trembles as the beast picks up speed. They exchange blows once more.

The Ursa doesn't care whether she grows weaker or stronger. As long as the fear is still around, it will continue to fight. Within sheer willpower and fury, its senses sharpen like the spikes on its arms.

On the other hand, Kiku's holding her own, even as her small stature and nerves get the best of her. The beast seems to catch on.

This proves fatal as her defense comes a moment too late. Claws knock the iron out of her hands, tearing her kimono and gloves. An agonizing whack to the stomach launches her across the open field and into a bush.

She tries to move, but large footsteps approach. By this time her nerves are out of control. Well, it looks like her papa was right all along. And the biggest proof is about to happen right here, right now.

Kiku covers herself, turning her back and expecting to die. The bush spreads open, but what happens next is unexpected. The Ursa merely grunts and sniffs around her. Then, it walks away, searching the other spots where she displayed negativity.

She opens one eye, then the other. It didn't attack. Why? And why does she feel different? Is there something wrong with her? She takes a look at her hands. There _is_ something wrong…they've faded. She grabs a bunch of her hair and looks again. It's also faded! If that's the case, then couldn't the Grimm still see her? Unless she's the only one who can see herself this way and everyone else sees…nothing.

Just then, she remembers a lesson Shira taught her long ago about why Huntsmen are so unique. _Is this my Semblance?_ she wonders. A strange mechanism in her mind prompts her to trigger it. Once she does, she's back to normal. Of course, this surprises her even more. _So I can turn invisible?_

This is perfect to use in a battle like the one she's in now, but she can't risk sneaking up to the Grimm. It will probably sense her and her fear if she gets too close. She'll need a quick distraction.

Shifting her gaze around, she notices the weapons nearby. Another lesson from Shira comes to mind.

"Some weapons can transform by pressing a strange button or trigger," she once said.

And so, Kiku disappears. She creeps away, grabs her weapons, and reappears behind a close tree to save Aura. Seconds pass as she inspects the tessens and finally spots a small switch at the ends of the handles. Once she presses it, they close.

Triggers form in her hands as they bend and reopen widely. The guards slide to the top and lock together while the leaves mesh at the bottom, creating some type of durable string. Once the transformation is complete, she now wields a pair of crossbows. Fortunately, there are a few arrows left, so she can get back in the fight.

Meanwhile, the Ursa is still sniffing. It senses the girl, but it can't pinpoint exactly where.

Suddenly, it hears a faint…

 _THWACK!_

Something strikes its arm. It glances around. Another strike from somewhere else. Another glance. Three more hits, and the Ursa whips around, annoyed.

 _BAM!_

The Ursa flies back into the open area, decimating some trees. It lands face first. Kiku reappears right in front of it. It growls, easing up and charging.

Kiku rolls to the side and under its legs. One of her crossbows changes back. She hacks at its stronger leg. It turns, and she batters its stomach, shooting more arrows as she goes.

She fires at the beast and disappears. She sneaks to a blind spot, gashing it. Many times, this throws it off guard.

However, it doesn't last long, seeing how it catches on. Its claws grapple with hers. No hits land, but the hard impact has taken a huge amount of her Aura. Kiku struggles against the force, pushing back, but she comes up with a last resort.

Closing one of her fans, she catches an arm. Twisting it, she delivers a stinging jab using the pointed end.

The Ursa clutches the stab wound. Enraged, it knocks her back.

A flash of pink covers her from head to toe. Her fear emanates even more. The beast grows desperate as it creeps to her. Feeling the same way, Kiku begins to crawl back. Her backside presses against a large tree.

She wonders what to do next, seeing just how few arrows she has left and how little time she has. With no idea and no hope, she shields herself with the tessen. Out of nowhere, the towering beast screams, covering its eyes. Kiku peeks from behind her weapon, noticing the sun's glare reflecting and blinding it.

One more idea finally comes. Hoping it works, she tosses the blinding fan, making it fly past the creature. Thinking what she did was stupid, the Ursa stands on its hind legs, preparing to strike.

Before long, Kiku hears the sound of whirring heading her way, almost as if it's about to fly over her head. At the right moment, she leaps onto a high branch and fires the rest of her arrows. The distracted monster tries to grab her. She bounces off, it looks up, and…

 _SHING!_

The flying tessen comes back, hacking its head off. Kiku catches it, and the Ursa falls, dissolving into black smoke. She jumps back down, heaving as the fear and adrenaline go through her for the last time.

"I…I did it," she forces between breaths.

Finally cooling down, she turns overhead. The contraptions still give off their green glimmer. She sheathes her tessens and continues on.

Kiku is grateful for the training she and Shira engaged in for so many weeks. Yet she's pretty concerned about the people she left back home. If only they could understand, then her departure wouldn't have been so heartbreaking. It's high time she made her own decisions, and her next one…is how she's going to get through this large city before her.

Coming out of the end of the red forest, Kiku stands before a multitude of large buildings. Diverse culture is shown everywhere, holographic machinery rises form the pavement, giving a futuristic feel to the stores surrounding them. The city of Vale is even more enticing up close.

She glows at the sight. If that doesn't make her feel overwhelmed, then just stepping onto its concrete is enough. Passing by a couple of girls talking, she takes notice of their casual clothing. They're so different from the regular kimonos her kind wears. With all there is to see, this isn't the thing that inspires her.

A few yards away is a store that has been taped in black and yellow. Police surround the area, their Scrolls in hand, as they investigate.

 _Maybe I can ask them for help?_ Kiku thinks. And so, she moves toward them. But every step she takes brings a new level of fear. Soon, she loses the willpower to ask. However, before she can even change her mind…

"Oh, hello!" one of the policemen says. "Do you need something, sweetheart?"

 _Oh, they look so busy. What if there's something dangerous there? They must not want me around._

Kiku, giving up, considers turning away. The guilt returns. Will she ever achieve her goals, or will she be left behind? The thought going back home scares her. Being stuck at home without her friend to comfort her, stuck at the mercy of her protective father, not being able to shine like her sisters…it's unfathomable.

No, she can't go back. She never wanted to leave her family behind, but this is her life. She can't be held back any longer. So she musters her courage, even if it's not much, and opens her mouth. "I…I was wondering…if you would show me how to get there?" She points to the orbs glowing from afar.

The policeman squints at them, then smiles. "Sure thing! One second…" He turns to his partner. "Hey, Jim! You watch the guys for a moment."

Jim nods as the policeman begins to lead Kiku toward the orb. Several blocks from around the corner later, they come across a giant airship where people around her age are lining at the entrance.

"See that thing? All you have to do is get on, and it'll take you right to where you're going. It looks like everyone there is headed to the same place as you are, so you should be all right."

"Thank you so much!" Kiku grins.

"No problem! If you need anything else, you know where to find us!" He leaves, but not without tipping his hat and saying, "Good luck!"

Once Kiku enters and the airship takes off, she spots a TV screen nearby. A reporter talks about a crime that was committed within the past few days. It shows a mugshot of a man who looks at least twenty. He dons orange-red hair, green eyes, and a snazzy-looking outfit. Is that the fancy criminal her father mentioned? Whatever did he do to become wanted by the authorities? She hopes she doesn't become his next target.

Fear tries to rear its ugly head again, but she decides to distract herself by taking in her surroundings. Teenagers of many kinds are on board: Faunus, Atlesian, a lot of Valeans, too. But there is one that does catch her eye…

 _A native of Anima? Here?_ Kiku gasps at the sight of a black-haired young man in green and pink, listening to a redheaded girl. His clothes, stature, and behavior prove he's from the same continent as she is. This, alone, makes her feel much better. It can't get any better than this!

But it does…

"Look! We're here!" someone shouts.

All the young people hurry to the window. She barely manages to get a spot as everyone cheers at the approaching building. Despite this, she can see the orbs.

The bullhead lowers, and students push past each other, hurrying to explore the place. Kiku simply takes her time. With the tower even closer, and the path ahead clear, she moves to the area ahead, the courtyard. In the middle is a large fountain and, standing in front is a green-garbed man wielding a cane. Hearing her footsteps, he faces her with a warm smile. The first words out of his mouth are all she needs to hear.

"Why. Hello there, miss! Welcome to Beacon Academy!"


	5. V01C01: Welcome to Beacon Academy!

_**A/N: I'm so sorry for disappearing for as long as I have. No, I didn't die. I just had a lot going on in my life, but now, I'm back. And I'm glad to be back. But, here is the long-awaited "Pilot" episode of ATMN. This will be a partial retelling of RWBY. With that cleared, I hope you enjoy this!**_

 _It's the first day at Beacon Academy! Our heroes take the time to find both old and new faces. Before long, they're in the middle of the forest searching for their partners and facing off against the menacing creatures of Grimm. Let's see how things play out._

The sun beams on the big, beautiful kingdom of Vale. Birds of many shapes and sizes, along with a bullhead, glide toward it. Within the bullhead, teenagers stare at the buildings below, yet the most attractive sight shows itself at the cliffside. Compared to the structures scattered around the tall tower, humans and Faunus all seem like ants. This sight is, of course, the place where a future Huntsman's dreams will come true: the famous Beacon Academy.

The bullhead comes to a complete stop in the courtyard, prompting several students to rush out and greet faces of all sorts. Among those is Mantle's fourth-ranked student Aubri Azure. Her face gleams as she saunters down the open path, post lights stretching far ahead.

The rich atmosphere, the welcoming scenery, even the diversity…it all feels like a wonderful dream. If this is the case, then she does not want to wake up. Although the only things that interrupt her train of thought are the sound of sneezing and an explosion following after.

Off to the side are two girls covered in soot. One wears a red hood, and the other, wearing a white dress, yells at her.

Wait. White dress? That can only mean…

"Oh, my gods…Weiss Schnee is attending, too?" Astonishment crosses Aubri's face. If _she_ recommends coming here, then this place must be as good as it looks!

Not wanting to draw attention from them, for good reasons, she moves on to a fountain where a statue was erected years ago. Standing on a cliff over a Beowolf are two hooded people. A young man raises his sword skyward while a woman stares ahead, wielding an axe.

Aubri can't help but wonder out loud, "I bet those two were legendary back then. I hope I can be just as successful." She places a hand under her chin. Questions race through her mind. "Wonder who they are?"

"Hey there, sweetheart!" says a slightly-nasally voice.

To her left, there's a blond, blue-eyed boy approaching a pink-haired girl. To make himself look cool, he tries to lean on a post light, but, somehow, he misses and lands face-first on the pavement. Springing back up, he asks her, "So, what's your name?"

Like his flirting, the girl's response doesn't go well either. The answer is on the tip of her tongue, but she can't seem to let it out. She rubs her arm. Then, in complete shame and embarrassment, she takes off.

Aubri shakes her head at the sight. "That's too bad. I hate to say it, but that won't help him find a partner."

Meanwhile, from a good distance behind her, a boy screams. He dashes out of another bullhead and away from a taller, burly guy.

"What's wrong?" the latter asks. "Afraid to make a new friend?"

The boy turns his head. It looks as if he's losing his chaser, but he never notices the girl in front of him.

"It's gonna take more than sweet-talking to get around at this school," Aubri says, her attention still on the others. "And innocence won't help her out, at least, not for long. They're gonna have a hard time if they keep this up…"

 _SPLASH!_

Gazes turn to the fountain. People gasp, some point, and others guffaw.

Flicking the water off her hands, Aubri cries out, "What the…? Ugh!"

The boy sits up and sweeps his purple hair out of his eyes. After looking around for the large guy, he finds that he's in the clear. What follows, however, is a pale face the moment he spots the girl beside him.

"Oh, no…are you all right?" He bolts up, trying to help. "I-I didn't mean to bump into —"

"What was that for?" Aubri cuts him off. She's way too upset to be reasonable.

He jerks back. "Hey. I'm sorry. I was being chased and —"

"You could've gotten someone injured, you know!"

"But it was an accident…"

Aubri examines her dripping outfit. "So much for trying to avoid attention. Now, I've got people laughing at me! Thanks a lot…whoever you are!"

"You know I have a name, right?" He points a thumb at himself. "I am Maximum Cesario, King of Confusion! But some people call me Max."

"There he is!" the guy from earlier shouts. This time, he has three others joining him.

"Uh-oh!" Max utters, and with that, he teleports out of sight.

As her jaw drops, Aubri looks around. She, then, huffs, steps out, and continues on. Her gaze stays on the fountain, all while she wrings her clothes and grumbles. So much for a first impression. It's her first day here, and she's already starting off on the wrong foot. Hopefully, she won't live the rest of her school life as the girl who fell in the fountain, because, if she does, then there goes her reputation. Now, to find a bathroom.

Once again, Aubri's train of thought is interrupted the second she turns to a quick halt. Good thing or else, she would have bumped into someone herself. She stares in sheer amazement at a tall, wolf-eared teen. His brows lift, giving more to his cold demeanor.

"Sorry. Didn't see you there!" She smiles weakly.

"It's cool," the Faunus responds. He takes notice of her outfit, wondering what happened. Surprisingly, she seems to know what he's thinking.

"Oh! I got into a little mishap back there. Someone bumped into me." She lets out a short laugh. "Anyway, I-uh…gotta go."

He nods.

~oOo~

Tenne watches her continue on, every step giving a squishy sound. This is the fourth time a human's talked to him today, and she didn't even say anything racist. He sweeps his fingers through his hair. Right then, the quiet girl passes by and asks to be excused. Another one? Can today get any weirder?

Of course, it can—and indeed, it does.

"Hey there, Tenne," says a mellow voice.

Hold on. Someone here knows him? Besides Ozpin? Crap! He just knew their deal wasn't going to last. Whoever it is probably wants his head on a silver platter, someone like an undercover White Fang member, or an Atlesian soldier, or worse: an associate of his father's. It's possible he'll have to fight this one out, so he braces himself and faces the person. Shockingly, he's half right about one of his choices. His ears stretch in complete surprise at a lady standing next to him. And she's not just any lady. She happens to wear a large, black bow to match her hair and attire.

"Never thought I'd see you here," she tells him.

"Blake?" Tenne's voice trails off after speaking her name. Finally somebody decent enough to talk to! But what is _she_ doing here? What kind of school is that man running?

She leans against a post light near her. "So what brings you here? I thought you were still in Atlas."

The question shakes the wolf Faunus a bit. He can't tell anyone what he went through. The base? His father? Hiding at Beacon? No way! Plus, how does she know what happened in Atlas?

"I was, but…" He struggles for a good answer. "Things changed. Things I'm ashamed to talk about. I thought I'd come here, make a name for myself. What about you? It's been so long."

"I'm here to change our way of living." Amber eyes take in the surrounding people in the courtyard. "There's so much evil in the world, and somebody has to be willing to end it."

"Of course…" Tenne crosses his arms and grins. "That sounds exactly like the Blake I know." The strange bow twitches ever-so-slightly. This doesn't go without his notice, since he nods toward it. "But…why wear _that_? You'd think, for someone so passionate about her heritage, you wouldn't be ashamed of being, well, you. Not that I'm knocking you for it, but why choose to hide?"

"I'm not ashamed, it's just…" Now Blake has a hard time finding a good answer. She heaves. "I honestly think you answered your own question. I want people to see me for _who_ I am, not _what_ I am. Ask yourself this, would people who thought of you as one of them treat you any different once they find out you're one of us?"

Tenne nods. "I understand your motives, but for me, I choose to live the way that treats me best, and that's unashamed and unhidden." He points to his wolf ears. "These ears are a part of who I am, and if there's anyone who isn't willing to except me that way, then they're free to screw off."

That earns a gape from the black-haired girl, who lowers her head.

Tenne, fearing that he hurt her feelings, reaches out to her. "Blake? Hey. I didn't mean to —"

Blake suddenly covers her mouth. When she throws her head back, she lets out a hard laugh.

Tenne arches an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"That sounds exactly like the Tenne I know! You're still as blunt as ever!"

He turns his back and sighs in relief, although he's a bit frustrated. "Sure. Whatever." Multiple footsteps head their way, making his ears flick. One by one, everyone ahead starts moving.

"I guess it's time to head inside." Blake begins to walk off. "So I'll see you around?"

"Yeah." He flashes a quick smile and waves before joining the crowd.

The first thing that shows up after passing the large double doors is a glass-domed area holding bleachers from high above, the amphitheater. Humans and Faunus are garbed in different types of uniforms, waiting for the two people on a large stage. Judging by the kinds of uniforms some of them wear, it's possible that three quarters of the groups are exchange students. And since he's not wearing one, Tenne decides to stand alongside the most casual group. It turns out his suspicions are correct. He pinpoints the blue-haired girl from earlier waiting up ahead and Blake not too far off.

Minutes later, the crowd applauds.

Black, high-heeled boots click against the floor. Everyone watches as a blonde steps to the front. There is a spotlight above them, and it makes her white blouse seem brighter than it already is. A black skirt hugs her curvy form, and a matching cape drapes her shoulders, ending in arrow- and flame-shaped splits. To top it off, her ovular glasses give a professional, completed feel to her look. Her voice and mannerisms also show she means business.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Glynda Goodwitch," she begins. "On behalf of our staff and students from Second-Years onward, I would like to welcome you to Beacon. You, who are a privileged few, have the honor of attending this school! As it is now, we are in a time of peace. It will be your duty to maintain such a delicate feat. And with that, I will let your headmaster say a few words."

The audience claps when she steps away. Ozpin takes her place. After pushing his small glasses up, he speaks,

"I'll…keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your crafts, and to acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your lives to the protection of the people. But I look among you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction."

This speech, while calm and collected, bruises a good handful of students who are listening. But it definitely inspires them, and the blue-haired girl is no exception.

"You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school and prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

One final time, the audience cheers.

After moments of questions and details of the school, everyone goes about their business for the time being. This leaves the amphitheater off limits until nighttime.

The moment the sun sets, sleeping bags fill the room, more than enough for the whole group of First-Years. People everywhere walk and talk in their pajamas, and they seem to be getting along. On the other hand, Tenne is sitting in a corner, writing in a small brown booklet, without a care in the world, when a familiar someone shouts,

"Hey!"

He flexes his ears in search of its owner. Footsteps approach from the side, and he turns. Here comes the blue-haired girl. That makes him frown.

"That was some speech earlier, wasn't it? Oz sure has a way with words." She sits next to him but he scoots over. The girl doesn't seem to care. "Didn't seem like himself, though. He's usually nicer than that. I've never seen him so serious."

"Yeah…" Tenne answers, his gaze stuck in the book. "He sure is a strange one."

"But he's the headmaster. It's his job to keep his staff and students in line, and if that's what it takes, then he has every right not to hold back."

"Mmm-hmm…" He hums carelessly, and the two stay silent for what seems to be several seconds. He may be grateful for not being discriminated against for once in his life, but that doesn't mean he wants anything to do with the ones who did it in the first place.

The girl finally catches on to his disinterest and stands.

"Well, I'll leave you to whatever you're doing." She starts walking off, her focus still on him. "Just wanted to talk a little before bed."

 _BAM!_

She falls. Slowly getting up, she rubs her forehead, stars dancing around her. Once she straightens herself, she spots a young, purple-haired man. From the way they interact, Tenne can guess that they've met earlier.

"Oh, of all people…" the young man says, irritated.

"You again?" The girl returns the expression. "Did you come here to mess with me after what you've done?"

He gapes. "What? No! I already said I was sorry! What about that don't you get?"

"You could've ruined my reputation back there! You're lucky nobody else talked about me or came to insult me!"

"What reputation? It's your first day here!"

His face scrunching, Tenne slams the book shut. _Looks like peace and quiet is out the window,_ he thinks. This is exactly why he prefers to be around people of _his_ kind. He starts to give the two a piece of his mind until…he catches the sight of a lone girl twirling her pink hair. Didn't he see her in the courtyard?

A better idea comes to mind. He focuses carefully. An orange clone of himself appears out of both kids' views. Then, he bolts, and they never notice.

Meanwhile, the uneasy girl glances around until she spots the Faunus heading her way. Right away, she turns warm when he asks,

"Hey. Uh…mind if I sit here a moment?"

She stares for quite a while. "Um…I…"

"I won't be long, I promise." He points a thumb at the two. "I only want to get away from the noise."

After more silence, she finally scoots over.

Tenne thanks her, trying his best not to sound desperate, and plants himself. He takes account of her slight fidgeting.

The time for the others to settle down is nowhere in sight, and the silence between the two sitting alone grows even more awkward.

While Tenne's at it, he realizes that he'd better get to know some of the people here. His opinion of the bickering duo is pretty obvious, and Blake seems to be the only sane person around, besides himself. Since they came from the same island and, at one point, the same activist group, he already knows how she operates. Now, what about this one beside him?

"So…" he starts. "You like it here so far?"

The girl glances, then, turns her focus to the ground. "I-it's okay."

Her voice comes out soft. Fortunately, his wolf ears manage to catch her answer. "That's good. You know, we'll have our teams tomorrow. Anyone you have in mind?"

She attempts to respond, but her anxiety gets the best of her. Instead, she shakes her head.

"Kiku?" someone yells. "Kiku? Where are you?"

Suddenly, the girl yelps and dives under the covers of her sleeping bag. The lump beside the Faunus shivers. That's when the blond boy from earlier heads to where they are.

"Excuse me, but…have you seen a girl named Kiku? She's about average height, long, pink hair…"

Tenne thinks about the girl under the covers. His lips tighten in a quick moment of wonder. His sight, then, falls on the boy's—blue onesie, before it stops on his face. "Sorry, man. Can't say that I have."

"Aww. That's too bad. I suppose I'll look someplace else." On that note, he carries on, shouting her name the whole way.

Once she's sure the guy's far enough, the quiet girl pokes her head out.

"Kiku, huh? I'm guessing that's you?" Tenne asks.

Her face flushing, the girl nods and lowers her head.

 _The silent type…_ the Faunus thinks, elbows on his knees and head in his hands. _Good. I prefer people like her. A bit too quiet for my taste, though._

He sighs. "Well, whoever I get…" He scowls at the people he left. And, to no one's surprise, they're still arguing. "I hope they're not as loud and obnoxious as those two."

~oOo~

The next morning, at the cliffside, Beacon's First-Years face Glynda and Ozpin in a line, gray square platforms beneath their feet.

"For your first assignment, you will be giving your teams today," instructs Glynda. "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time at Beacon, so it is your best interest to be paired alongside someone you can work well with. That said, as soon as you're in Emerald Forest, the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years."

The students, save for a select few, drop their jaws and gasp. Murmurs come from a good amount of them while others have an idea of who they want to fight alongside.

Standing near the middle, Aubri has a few people in mind that she prefers…and one she doesn't. Weiss: because of her reputation as, not only a capable future Huntress, but also, the heiress of her father's prospering company, she is definitely a good choice. That wolf Faunus: with his mysterious persona, and those sculpted biceps she can tell he's been through some tough battles. That Max kid…needless to say, she hopes he finds someone who's willing to handle him.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene." Ozpin states, holding his mug. "You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will guard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately.

"Also, I urge you…do not underestimate the element of surprise. You _will_ meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy anything in your path…or you will die. Are there any questions before we begin?"

No hands rise. The only thing breaking the small silence is a series of gulps.

"Good. Now, take your positions," the headmaster commands.

Everyone, confused about how they will get to the forest, settles into a fighting stance…except one.

"Um, excuse me, professor? I might have a small question," a raspy voice calls to him.

Ozpin faces Max, who stands near him with his hand high in the air. "Yes?"

"So how exactly do we not underestimate this element of surprise?"

"Simple…always expect the unexpected."

"Okay…" Max scratches his head. "How do you suggest we do _that_?"

"Embrace it. Know when to act, and the rest will fall into place. It may seem overwhelming, but you'll understand everything once you land in the forest."

"So if we embrace it, then we won't be so surprised, and we'll know what to expect." Max processes the answers. "Okay. Got it! But wait, you said, 'land.' What does that have to do with…" No warnings come as a spring-like sound emits from beneath him, prompting him to lower his head. His shoulders droop once he realizes what's about to happen. "Oh…"

Like him, everyone else screams when the platforms launch them at the same time, some farther than others.

While Glynda keys a few things into her Scroll, Ozpin takes a sip of his mug. He smiles and concludes the instructions with a calm, collected,

"Surprise."

Meanwhile, while all the other students are thinking up strategies, Aubri already has one planned out. Scanning the entire area, she spots a stone-like opening far ahead. Maybe that's the place?

Waiting for the right moment and space, she draws Sun and Moon, equips Ice Dust, and shoots at the closest, largest branch.

The more rounds she fires, the more the ice spreads. Soon, she has cultivated a small slide. Her feet hit the contraption, and she rides effortlessly, firing more as she goes and creating a ramp at the end. Once she slides off, she scales her way down more branches.

When Aubri pushes off a tree trunk, her guns transform. Finally she spins and cuts through the air, in case enemies are nearby, and lands on one knee.

"Perfect! As usual!" She slowly stands, taking in the whole scene of the forest and listening to the others landing. "Looks like everyone made it here all right."

Suddenly, a shriek pierces the silence. Aubri gazes overhead. And immediately, the blond guy flies through the sky, disappearing as quickly as he came.

"Well, almost everyone…"

Fortunately, luck is on his side because a red and gold spear pins him to a trunk by his hoodie.

"Thank you!" he shouts.

"I'm sorry!" a woman yells back.

"Holy cow! Was that Pyrrha Nikos I just heard?" Aubri lights up, rushing to the voice. " _The_ four-time winner of the Mistral Region Tournament is _here_? Why didn't I see her? I've gotta find her quickly—oof!"

She hits the ground.

~oOo~

Humans…are…scum. Militaries, government, and Huntsmen. One shouldn't have anything to do with them. They are the lowest of the low, more so than the Grimm. Should an unlucky soul encounter such a scumbag, he or she should run far, far away. So why, in Oum's name, is Tenne flying through the air in a group of First-Years _against his will_?

Of course, he's still aware of the deal he made with Ozpin nights ago, but he didn't agree to _this_! Had he known he would be thrown in the middle of the forest and in the presence of starving, bloodthirsty creatures, he would have bowed out long ago! Although he was desperate, he regrets not asking questions about the academy. However, the man did save his life—and the Faunus considers himself a man of his word—so it's the least he can do to hold out. He groans, hating the fact that he owes someone, before focusing on the matter at hand.

Falling into a forest…this should be no different than his last mission with the White Fang. Closing his eyes, Tenne focuses. He glows orange and crashes through the trees.

The branches slowly chip away a bit of his Aura, but they slow his momentum. Right when he's at a good pace, he lands on one. Three clones appear on safer branches. He bolts to all three of them and zips downward. Things seem a little too calm for him to be declared safe, so he starts running as soon as he's on solid ground. Anything and anyone who dares to get in his way will regret it.

Professor Ozpin said there is some kind of temple everyone needs to find. There's only a few problems: what part of the forest is he in? How far does he have to go to get there? How long will it take? What if he finds someone who already knows his past, save for Blake? Hopefully, _that_ won't happen. Many concerns distract him from watching his path. Of course, because of that, he makes hard impact and falls.

A girl complains. "What is it with people bumping into me? Am I some sort of magnet or something?"

Simultaneously, the two take a look at each other, orange eyes staring into pink ones.

"Oh, it's you!" She smiles.

 _That girl,_ Tenne thinks. He's a bit shocked, and judging from her reaction, it's possible she feels the same way. He had to open his big mouth. Why must the gods torture him?

"So I'm guessing you didn't find anyone yet?" she asks once they get up.

He notices the small glimmer on her face. Faking interest, he responds, "Um…no. No, I didn't."

"Wow! Me neither!" She tries to hide her growing excitement, thinking, _Jackpot!_ "If that's the case, then it looks like we're partners. And, if I remember correctly, we're supposed to go get this relic. On the bright side, I saw a stony structure on the way down, so maybe we could start there! By the way…" She holds out a hand. "My name's Aubri."

Tenne stares at the open palm and sighs. "Tenne." Acknowledging each other for the first time, they shake.

~oOo~

Earlier, in the air, Max flails around, nearly hitting some of the students.

Now, this is something he didn't expect. For once in his life, someone manages to give him a taste of his own medicine. No matter! He's still the King of Confusion! He can't be dethroned that easily! What's a disguised catapult gonna do to him? Oh, right…potentially get him killed! And then there's the forest itself. So many deadly things can happen in there: being attacked by Grimm, not landing the right way or at the right time, or worse, a potential paper cut! But the fact that he has less than a minute to plan everything makes it even more terrifying! He'll die if he doesn't think of something quickly! He wastes seconds worrying. But then, he remembers…

"Wait a minute…tch, duh! I can teleport!"

Activating his Semblance, Max reappears above a tree. The chain of his kusarigama wraps around his branch, allowing him to swing until he reaches a large-enough trunk. Burying his blades within, he spirals around it and swings off. One aerial backflip, and he lands on both feet like a champ.

"Woo-hoo! And he sticks the landing!" He cheers, bowing from side to side. "Thank you! Thank you very much!"

His moment of celebration is cut short, however, as his ears catch a series of quick footsteps. Whatever that was, it hurries behind a nearby tree.

"What was that?"

Tightening his grip on his weapons, Max creeps toward the tree. Then, he hops behind it, yelling,

"Aha!"

What comes next scare the life out of him…

~oOo~

 _Don't panic, Kiku. Don't panic, Kiku. Don't panic, Kiku._

Plummeting through the sky, Kiku repeats this in her head. Panicking alone could draw more Grimm, and everyone's screaming isn't helping the situation. What can she do to keep from hurting herself?

She takes her surrounding into account. Trees will soon come in contact within forty seconds, and she has spent fifteen of them calming herself. To her left, there's a young blonde who is using her shotgun gauntlets to boost herself. By doing this, she's able to gain momentum. To her right, a cheery redhead does the same, wielding a strange hammer instead. They look so cool…and so confident. She wishes she could do that. Wait…maybe she can.

Twenty seconds. She takes out one of her tessens and swiftly examines the mesh leaves. They're almost bigger than her but light and easy to maneuver through the air. Hoping her new idea works, she removes one of her gloves and ties it to the pointed end of her handle. Kiku draws the other tessens. Wrapping both handles together, she creates a makeshift hover board.

She surfs her way over the trees, slowly descending. Once she's close enough, she tries to jump onto a branch. Sadly, one of the fans trips over it instead, and she loses her footing. Realization strikes a bit too late, and she crashes. Her back hits a larger branch, flipping her over and making her stomach hit another. The impact knocks the wind out of her lungs and the tessens out of her hands.

Kiku trembles and nearly whimpers, but she holds on tightly. Removing herself carefully from the tough limb, she climbs down and lowers herself onto the ground clutching her stomach. Right when she retrieves her weapons…

"Woo-hoo! And he sticks the landing!"

The girl jolts. She disappears and hides behind a tree, back against the trunk. The pounding of her heart and her fumbling make it harder for her to untie the tessens and put her glove back on, but she accomplishes both eventually. She slowly peaks around…

"Aha!" a boy jumps out, shouting.

Kiku stumbles with a shriek and reappears.

The boy also screams, flinching and shutting his eyes. Then, he realizes what he bumped into. Slowly opening one blue eye after the other, he notices…it's only a girl. He exhales.

"Heh—heh…sorry. Didn't see you there."

Kiku opens her green eyes the same way. After what feels like minutes of staring back, she finally notices his outstretched hand. "Oh…um…it's okay." She hesitates before taking it and allows him to pull her onto her feet. _Okay,_ she thinks. _Now's your chance. Start introducing yourself._ "My…my name's…K-Ki…Ki…" She almost gives up like yesterday, but instead of letting this overwhelm her, she takes a deep breath and tries again. "My name's Kiku. Thanks for…for the help."

"Don't mention it! Now then, I think we're supposed to find some relic. I believe it's north of here?"

She nods.

"Cool. Let's see if we can find it in time." He starts walking, but he turns back and says, "Oh, yeah…and call me Max."

~oOo~

Meanwhile, on the cliff, Glynda watches everything from her Scroll. "Two more pairs have joined. Maximum Cesario and Kikuno Noto are the most recent." She purses her lips and gives a slight hum.

"Is there something wrong, Glynda?" asks Ozpin.

"I just can't see that lady becoming a Huntress. She is far too delicate. And I can't say much about the boy." She shakes her head. "I feel sorry for his parents. They must have a hard time dealing with this one."

Ozpin takes a sip. "They do seem odd together. But even the oddest child can come out to be the best. Who knows? We may have a couple of warriors right before our eyes." He turn the screen of his large Scroll to face the blonde, showing one of the students. "Take Ms. Aubri Azure, for instance."

Glynda nods. "She's fearless and sharp. I'll commend her for that, but she must work on her attitude."

"Let's hope she can do well alongside her partner." He lifts a brow. "I have a feeling their relationship will be quite interesting."

"Really? And who is her partner?"

Ozpin grins. "Why, Tenne Peterson."

"The wolf Faunus?" Her green eyes pop. Her focus is now on him. "Now, why _did_ you take him in? He's clearly a troublemaker." She receives no answer as the green-clad man stares over the cliff. "Professor?"

~oOo~

Back in the forest, Aubri and Tenne come across an opening in a rocky wall.

"Whoa! A cave!" Aubri goes to inspect it. "Could this be a part of the temple?"

Scanning the surrounding area, Tenne responds, "Not sure, I don't see any relics." He notices an open trail further down from where they stand. "Plus, Ozpin said there would be an end to this path."

"You could be right. This doesn't feel like the end, and this definitely doesn't feel like a good place to put a bunch of artifacts." Aubri turns her back on the opening. "If that were the case, we'd see some students coming out with a few of them."

Tenne's Aura tingles. His ear twitches at a low, faint growl coming behind the girl. "Aubri!" he yells, reaching out.

 _BANG!_

A bullet pierces an approaching Beowolf's open mouth. Aubri juts a hand on her hip, the barrel of her gun pointing back. "Gods, I knew there was something wrong with this place!" The Faunus stands there, amazement dawning on his face. He receives a confused "What?"

Interrupting their conversation, another growl starts. This time, it approaches behind Tenne. His ears flick a second time. He quickly snaps out of it and flexes his arms to ready Predator. After diving from an oncoming swing, he gives a swift slice to the beast, splitting it in two.

Aubri nods and presses her lips together. "Not bad."

She expects a simple "thank you," but he merely nods back. Seconds pass and, for the third time, more noise comes. In fact, it's screaming, and it's coming from the cave. Heavy footsteps rush out, but no one has any relics on them.

Two familiar-looking guys shove past the pair. One of them grunts,

"Move it or lose it!"

Aubri and Tenne frown.

"The nerve of some people…" the former complains, but their frustration is cut off by the sound of more growling. "Let's get out of here!"

~oOo~

While those two are running for their lives, Max and Kiku are nearing the end of the path. So far, they haven't encountered any creatures of Grimm. However, this doesn't mean they can let their guard down. Despite the news, Kiku's very uneasy.

"I sure hope we're getting closer…" Her voice quakes.

"Me, too. I wanna get this relic and head back to where it's safe," replies Max.

Not only that, this stress isn't very good for her. She could collapse at any moment. Kiku tries to think of ways to be positive. Maybe she could talk about what her new partner likes…but what _does_ he like? This is their first meeting, after all. She ponders…how about something related to fighting? And so she asks,

"Hey, Max…do…do you think you could tell me a-a bit about yourself?"

He spins, his pace now backward. "Hmmm…oh, sure. What do you wanna know?"

"Well…" She taps her chin. "How about your abilities? Maybe your weapons…or-or your Semblance?"

"My Semblance? That's easy! I can teleport!" Max shows her by reappearing a few yards away and returning back to his spot. Kiku gasps. "Although I can only go so far. It's not like I can move from Vale to Vacuo in a matter of seconds."

He spots a rock near him. Picking it up, he demonstrates another trick.

"I can teleport objects, too." The rock disappears from his palm and ends up back where he found it. "I've even used my Semblance to throw things farther than usual the moment they leave my hand."

Kiku gleams at his answer.

"And, based on how we met earlier, I'm guessing yours in invisibility?"

 _He…he noticed,_ she thinks. This alone makes her want to smile even more, but she doesn't let it overtake her. So she simply nods.

"That's epic! I wish I had your Semblance. I could sneak around in movie theaters, and no one would ever notice."

"Yeah…" Her face reddens. Where does she go from here? How does she respond to that? Was that a compliment or a joke? She can't tell.

"Hey there…" Max interrupts her train of thought. "Are you all right?"

His concern about her unknowingly-tense stature causes her voice to get stuck in her throat. She barely manages to get out,

"I'm…I'm fine. It's only…" The words fade away. Her throat tightens. She can see the forest practically closing in on her, and with no way out, she fidgets, pulling on her glove.

"Hey…" A hand lies on her shoulder. For a split second, she almost wants to pull away. Instead, she looks into his eyes. It feels like a long time, but there's something about them. Not only are they warm like the smile on his face but there's some sort of gleam. Looking at them brings a glimmer of life and comfort. The overall look goes perfectly with his youthful spirit. And that youthful spirit reminds her of a certain someone back home. "It's okay. You're not alone here. We're partners now."

Kiku, after hearing this, eases up slowly. A simple "thank you" is all she can muster. And the forest seems to be back to normal.

Max nods and turns back, facing the path. Up ahead a stone platform holding small pillars comes into view. "Over there! There's the temple!" He glances at her. "Looks like we made it after all! C'mon!"

She looks after him. They've only met, and just like that, he's able to get through to her so easily, faster than all the others in Shion. How? She shakes her head, brushing off the matter. All of this can wait until the mission is over. And so she follows him to the platform.

Standing on the pillars are black and white artifacts that look very much like chess pieces. Based on how many there are, it's clear they're not the first ones here, and definitely not the last. Max and Kiku examine them.

"Are these…the relics?" the latter asks.

"They must be. I don't see anything else that could pass for one." Max looks over the pieces. "Why don't you pick one? Then, we can leave."

"Actually…" Kiku rubs the back of her neck. "I think I'll sit this one out."

Max shrugs. "If you say so." Wiggling his fingers, he glosses over the remaining relics. "I'll pick…" Blue eyes stop on a black piece topped with a crown. He grabs it, but, at the same time, a partially-gloved hand does the same, and another voice blurts out the exact same thing that he does,

"This one!"

He blanks. Looking to the side, he spots another person wearing the same expression—Aubri.

"You!" the two shout, scowling.

"Hey! I was here first! I get to take the relic!" Max argues and pulls the object.

"No, I was here first!" Aubri pulls back.

Their bickering, like the last time, ensues. They wrestle over the relic like a game of Tug-of-War.

While those two are busy, Kiku notices Tenne near the platform, his gaze going overhead and his arms folding. They lock eyes for a moment, and she waves shyly. He nods toward her, making her shrink back.

Soon after, one of the two fighters is kicked. His back crashing into another pillar, Max winces. While soothing the slight pain in his head, he looks at his fist, the black relic still clenched within.

"Ha! I win!" He cheers, and his celebration causes another object to fall into his lap. It look exactly like the one he's holding.

Aubri, on the other hand, brushes him off and searches for a different relic to find. Little does she know, Max gets an idea. A smirk grows on his freckled face as he takes one of the relics and, after timing himself, he teleports it while throwing it. It bounces perfectly off the girl's head.

She faces him, glares, and yells, "Watch it!" She spots the object on the ground. Picking it up, she marches to him. "Do you have some kind of problem with me?"

Kiku, still on the platform, ponders whether she should try to talk to the Faunus again. Taking a brief moment to think, she decides…if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. And so, she makes her way to him. However, instead of letting a single sentence out, he whips around, alerted. That makes her look in the same direction. There are bushes rustling and growling nearby.

"Uh…guys…" Tenne starts…no response. He tries again.

Their attention falls on Aubri and Max, who are still shouting at each other.

"No wonder! It's like an Atlesian to be so cold and uncaring!" says Max.

"I'm from _Mantle,_ genius!" Aubri retorts. "And I'm not cold. I care about my life as a future Huntress! And if you think you can waltz in and ruin my time at Beacon, you've got another thing com —"

"Guys!" Tenne's voice booms, causing everyone to jump. "If you two could stop howling at each other like a bunch of chimps for one second, you'd see that we've got company to take care of!"

Creeping out of the bushes is a small group of Beowolves. Their mouths salivate. Their stomachs grumble as loud as their roaring. Aubri stuffs the relic in her pocket. She and Max give each other quick glares, draw their weapons, and join the others.

Aubri assesses the situation. There's only a small amount for each of the fighters. She charges head-first, immediately assuming her horde will follow. Her suspicions prove correct. She fires at two of them. Diving from the other's swings, she transforms Moon. Its blade plunges through one's throat. Sun's bullet flies through the other's eye.

Aubri, then, leaps over the rest and fires again. While Sun transforms, she lunges toward them and hacks them to bits. They quickly dissolve, giving her time to silently critique everyone else.

Tenne's intent focusing and brutal approach show that he's both brawn and brain. A perfect balance…but something shows he's holding back. She knew yesterday, by looking at his demeanor, he's a capable fighter. What's he hiding?

Max. He's a strange one. But, for a goofball, he's definitely got skills. It seems there's more to him than she thought. Playing with your enemies isn't the safest approach. But, then again, who has time for safety? Plus, he seems to be throwing them off. He'd better know when to act and fight…for the sake of those who end up on his team.

That leaves Kiku. She's also holding back, but she's holding her own, too. Something tells Aubri she's not very confident. That's gonna have to change. But, her movement! It's so graceful! Where did she learn that?

They finish with the horde of Beowolves, and there's no bead of sweat anywhere. Unfortunately, with the sense of fear, adrenaline, and anger emanating from their attacks—and the arguing—there's more growling. This time, it's a bunch of pig-like monsters bearing tusks and spiky armor on their backs: Boarbatusks.

Tenne spawns an orange look-alike of himself. It breaks an oncoming spin-dash with an uppercut. He lunges and does the same. He strikes its exposed underbelly. The blades gash, ripping it in two.

The rest roll toward him one by one. One more clone breaks another's charge. Tenne follows. One quick head-butt later, he rips out its tusks and hacks it. More clones stop the others heading his way. After doing the same, he kicks them upward and sends the tusks flying after them. Black liquid oozes once they land, twitching and dissolving.

Kiku's unsure of how to approach her horde, so she doesn't. Instead, she disappears. The Boarbatusks halt and search for her. Suddenly, a tessen appears out of nowhere and knocks the upward. Then, she deactivates her Semblance and copies their rolling, slicing as she goes. The dismembered limbs fade into black.

Max, like with the Beowolves, decides to have fun with his part. One creature charges. The first thing he does is jump on it. He rolls toward the others, letting out a hearty laugh. Soon, he leaps off. It crashes into a second one. He teleports and impales it.

Max also senses as Boarbatusk behind him. He flips over, wearing a cocky grin. One of his crescent knives transforms. The sickle digs deep inside the beast. Using as much strength as he can muster, he swings it around and into the others. With enough momentum, Max launches the poor beast toward them. He uses this as a catapult to yank himself to the horde. A few strikes are all it takes to end it.

Lastly, there's Aubri. This time, her opponents charge all at once. But she has a trick up her sleeve. Focusing her Aura on her foot, she stomps. A huge blue wave forces them all back. She lurches and pulls the triggers on her weapons. The blades give an icy blue sheen when they cut through the air. Two of the creatures freeze to death.

The last two get back up and roll. With their defenses lowered, she easily knocks them back down. She plunges the blades and pulls the triggers once more. Ice consumes them from the inside out, and they combust into small shards and black smoke.

Aubri stops to take a breather, slumping. But, before she can even exhale…

The ground rumbles. Trees from afar fall to the ground. Big stomps slowly approach the four. They struggle to keep themselves standing. Two black arms the size of tree trunks break through and rip a few more to pieces. Once they're cleared, the now-open path reveals a furious gorilla-like Grimm twice the students' sizes. It lets out a roar, beating its plate-filled chest.

"A Beringel?" Aubri says while everyone blanks. "That's something you don't see very often." She switches her weapons back, equipping Fire Dust inside.

And with that, they move, attacking all once.

 _WHAM!_

The Beringel knocks them all back in one large swing.

Not giving up yet, they all land safely, albeit frowns cross their faces. They decide to attack from all directions. This also proves to be a bad idea. It spins when they reach it, spreading its arms like a windmill. Fortunately, while they're pushed back, they do block successfully. However, they land a bit roughly on the ground.

"All right. Here's an idea. Strike by twos!" Aubri suggests.

Half of the group jumps in from the front and back. This starts off fine, until it backhands, swatting them like flies. The others come in from the sides, failing just as badly. They keep trying, timing each other. While they do make contact, they only scratch the armor. Like them, the Beringel grows irritated.

"Nothing's working!" Max shouts.

"Let's try mixing it up!" Tenne commands. Everyone decides to move at random times.

Tenne pinpoints some sort of weak spot. He attacks, thinking the monster is distracted. However, his thoughts prove wrong. An arm clashes with Predator. One uppercut and the Faunus is pushed back.

A kusarigama swipes at the skin. It doesn't cut. Max lands on its back from above. Crescent knives get caught in its shoulder, but nothing happens. He gasps at the sight of a large hand grabbing him and hurling toward a nearby tree. Max peels off the trunk, landing hard on his face.

Kiku gives a horrified look to her partner. She glances at the beast and disappears to try and sneak toward it. Sadly, it senses her fear, weaving from a tessen's swing. Kiku flies backward from a hard jab to the stomach.

An unsuspecting Tenne charges, but Kiku reappears in front of him, tripping him.

The Beringel leaps, almost slamming its fists down on them. Spotting the girl clutching her stomach, Tenne grabs her and rolls out of harm's way.

While they're keeping the monster on their tail, Aubri reloads. She dashes toward it and aims.

 _Okay, Aubri…_ she tells herself. _Wait until the right time. Not a foot out of place._ Then, she leaps. _Now!_

Right when she fires, Max appears out of nowhere and bumps into her. The bullet merely grazes the Beringel's arm, and the two crash into some trees.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" Aubri yells, getting up. "If you hadn't gotten in my way, I would've hit it!"

"I was heading toward it! You're the one who should've dodged!" Max spits back.

"How was I supposed to know? I was busy aiming!"

Their brows lift at the rest of the group heading their way. They duck, and Tenne and Kiku crash the same way Aubri and Max did before. Both of their Auras flicker. The Beringel bellows, beating its chest once again and trashing more trees.

"Man, that thing's tough!" Tenne complains, rubbing his head. "Doesn't look like there's a way to beat it."

"Yeah, there's too much armor. And its skin is no joke either. All I could do was burn it…off…" Aubri's train of thought fades once she realizes her words, and she beams at the creature's arm. Inside there's a red glow from where the bullet grazed. "That's it! Hey!" she calls, getting Tenne and Kiku's attention. "Could you two distract it for us?"

They glance at each other.

"We can try," the Faunus responds.

"Make sure you keep your distance." They nod and rush back in. Aubri, then faces Max, a sly grin on her face. "And you…"

He points to himself. "Me?"

"You can teleport yourself. Am I right?"

"I'd like to think so," he replies suspiciously.

"And you can teleport objects, yeah?"

"That could be the case."

Her hands go behind her back. She leans closer. "Well, have you ever wondered what it's like to teleport _other_ people?"

He cocks his head. "Maybe I have. Maybe I haven't."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand…" Pink eyes travel overhead. "How would you like to teleport me to that Beringel?" She points a thumb at the monster.

Max takes a moment, his words coming out oh-so-slowly. "Me? Teleport you? Well, when you put it that way…" His pondering takes up more time than expected.

Aubri taps her foot, pressing her lips together, and then… "Will you throw me already? Gods-dang it!" she yells, throwing her hands up.

He flinches. "Okay, fine! Jeez!"

In the meantime, the Beringel searches around for more prey. Out of nowhere, an arrow hits its back. It whips around. Tenne hacks its leg. The beast tries to kick, but a clone leaps onto its shoulders. The real deal repeats. An invisible Kiku swipes its other leg. It thrashes around, completely distracted.

Aubri awaits the perfect time, her guns transforming once more. Max waits for her signal.

"Get ready, Max…" The beast turns its back. "Now!"

Max swings her around, and with careful timing, he lets go. Aubri readies her weapons and her Shockwave. Tenne and Kiku bolt when she reappears behind the Beringel. She pulls the triggers, making the blades emit a fiery glow, and she transfers her Semblance through her slashes.

The once-tough skin on the creature's back melts away, and its defenses lower. It howls, trying to swat her. But the others keep up their part. Aubri swings continuously at its blind spots. Her Aura flickers eventually, but she's able to use her Fire Dust. Pretty soon, almost all of its skin is gone, and its entire body glows red.

"Perfect!" Aubri shouts. "Now, let's finish it off!"

The Beringel senses oncoming attacks and tries to fend them off. But it can't do much. Max buries a heel in its side. It winces. Kiku bashes it from above. Tenne sends it hurling back into his partner. Aubri gives a stinging jab using the hilt of her blades.

They each take turns toying with the poor creature before delivering the final blow. All in unison, one goes for the legs, one for the arms, one for the torso, and one for the head.

 _SHING!_

It hits the ground, limbs falling apart. The students relax and huff at its dissolving.

"Whoa…" Max says in between breaths, trying to light up the situation. He beams. "Let's do that again!" Kiku simply stares, but Tenne and Aubri sneer at him.

Much later, the groups make it back to the cliff and give Ozpin their relics. They now stand in the amphitheater beside the rest of the First-Years. Each team makes their way to the stage as the headmaster calls them out.

"Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark." The four guys that chased Max in the courtyard, two of which bumped into Aubri and Tenne at the cave, walk on stage. "The four of you retrieved the black Bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as…team CRDL (cardinal), led by…Cardin Winchester."

They may not look like it, but they are proud of themselves, especially the one with the orange hair. They exit, relishing in the loud cheering of the whole room.

The next group comes. The blond boy who tried to talk to Kiku walks onward. The cheery, hammer-wielding redhead, her friend in green, and Pyrrha follow suit. Ozpin announces them as team JNPR (juniper), their leader being Jaune Arc.

The blond boy is expectedly shocked at his name being called alongside such a big title. Pyrrha punches his arm in immense pride. He winces and falls, and laughter fills the whole amphitheater. To the side, Aubri and Max cheer them on, Kiku claps, and Tenne merely watches.

After them is Blake's team. She, Weiss, the red-hooded girl from the courtyard, and the gauntlet-wielder Kiku spotted all walk onstage. Ozpin dubs them as team RWBY (ruby), led by Ruby Rose.

The hooded girl gazes. The gauntlet-wielder, her sister, rushes to give a big hug and exclaims,

"I'm so proud of you!"

And last, but certainly not least, Aubri and her crew step up once team RWBY steps down. Ozpin calls out to the audience,

"And finally, Tenne Peterson, Kikuno Noto, Aubri Azure, and Maximum Cesario. The four of you have retrieved the black King pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as team ATMN (autumn), led by…Aubri Azure."

Like Jaune and Ruby, Aubri gleams. She points to herself. "Me? A leader?"

Everyone can't help but feel proud of themselves. Even Tenne shows a small hint of satisfaction at the people, both humans and Faunus, erupting in cheers. It feels so weird, yet, so welcoming. It's like Ozpin says right after,

"Looks like things are shaping up to be an…interesting year."


End file.
